5 April 2006
Calipso has been ready to go for some time now, but its launch with companion satellite CloudSat has been pushed back several times in the last year due to a series of hitches.
As a result of strikes at launch operator Boeing and the shutdown of the launch base for maintenance, the 2 satellites have been on standby for several months.
As a result of strikes at launch operator Boeing and the shutdown of the launch base for maintenance, the 2 satellites have been on standby for several months.
Launch preparations have nevertheless been underway since 15 March at Vandenberg. The qualification readiness review and performance tests were successfully completed end March.
Everything should be “go” this time and the satellite is set to launch on 21 April.
Everything should be “go” this time and the satellite is set to launch on 21 April.
The Calipso mission will give us greater insight into the mechanisms driving climate change by:
- providing global vertical profiles of the atmosphere at a resolution of 30 m
- telling us more about the role of clouds and aerosols in shaping climate
Calipso will join its companion satellites—including the Parasol microsatellite—in the A-Train, the 1st French-U.S. orbital observatory, which will acquire data from 6 satellites flying in formation.
