A-train (satellite constellation)

A-Train refers to a fleet of spacecraft, which consists of five satellites.

This is the satellite Aqua, Aura, CloudSat, PARASOL and CALIPSO. In addition, the OCO satellite was planned, the start but failed in February 2009. The five satellites are located in a common low orbit at an altitude of 705 kilometers at the inclination of 98 degrees. Together produce the partially similar scientific instruments, an overview image of the earthly weather and global climate. The data of the satellites complement each other, since all have the same area with only a few minutes to skim time difference and thus allow different measurements of the same weather and environmental conditions.

The name A-Train comes from the jazz Title Take the " A" Train, which has the ride in a New York subway line A to the topic. The satellite group was given this name because the satellites lined up like carriages of a train running on the same track.

Swell

• The Earth Observing System (English)
• NASA shelves climate satellites (English)

Further Reading

• Earth observation satellite
• NASA
• French aerospace