 Artist's view of ADM-Aeolus | |
| Names | Atmospheric Dynamics Mission-Aeolus |
|---|---|
| Mission type | Weather satellite |
| Operator | ESA / ESOC |
| COSPAR ID | 2018-066A |
| SATCAT no. | 43600 |
| Mission duration | 5 years (achieved) |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Airbus Defence and Space |
| Launch mass | 1,366 kg (3,012 lb) |
| Dry mass | 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) |
| Dimensions | 1.74 × 1.9 × 2 m (5 ft 9 in × 6 ft 3 in × 6 ft 7 in) |
| Power | 2300 watts |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 22 August 2018, 21:20 UTC[1] |
| Rocket | Vega |
| Launch site | Centre Spatial Guyanais, ELV |
| Contractor | Arianespace |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Deorbited |
| Last contact | July 1, 2023 |
| Decay date | July 28, 2023 |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Sun-synchronous orbit |
| Altitude | 320 km (200 mi)[2] |
| Inclination | 97.0° |
| Transponders | |
| Band | S-band (TT&C support) X-band (science data acquisition) |
| Bandwidth | 8 kbit/s download (S-band) 10 Mbit/s download (X-band) 2 kbit/s upload (S-band) |
| Instruments | |
| Atmospheric Laser Doppler Instrument (ALADIN) | |
Aeolus, or, in full, Atmospheric Dynamics Mission-Aeolus (ADM-Aeolus), was an Earth observation satellite operated by the European Space Agency (ESA). It was built by Airbus Defence and Space, launched on 22 August 2018,[1] and operated until it was deorbited and re-entered the atmosphere over Antarctica on 28 July 2023.[3] ADM-Aeolus was the first satellite with equipment capable of performing global wind-component-profile observation and provided much-needed information to improve weather forecasting.[4] Aeolus was the first satellite capable of observing what the winds are doing on Earth, from the surface of the planet and into the stratosphere 30 km high.
The satellite was named after Aeolus, a god from the Greek mythology, the ruler of the winds.
- ^ a b "Aeolus Fuelled". ESA. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ ADM-Aeolus operations ESA Accessed 12 June 2018
- ^ "Aeolus: a historic end to a trailblazing mission". www.esa.int. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
- ^ Källén, Erland (2008). "Special issue with manuscripts related to ESA's Atmospheric Dynamics Mission/Aeolus". Tellus A: Dynamic Meteorology and Oceanography. 60 (2): 189–190. Bibcode:2008TellA..60..189K. doi:10.1111/j.1600-0870.2007.00296.x.