Operator
European Space Agency (ESA)Manufacturer
European Space Agency (ESA)EarthCARE Mission
5/28/2024
The EarthCARE satellite includes a Cloud Profiling Radar developed by JAXA.
Russia’s 2022-02-26 decision to halt Soyuz launches from French Guiana put five European missions in limbo, including two Galileo navigation satellite launches, ESA’s Euclid space observatory, the EarthCARE Earth science satellite, and a French reconnaissance satellite.
The EarthCARE satellite includes a Multi-Spectral Imager developed by Airbus subsidiary SSTL.
The EarthCARE satellite includes a Cloud Profiling Radar developed by JAXA.
The EarthCARE satellite includes a Multi-Spectral Imager developed by SSTL, an Airbus subsidiary.
EarthCARE will operate in a Sun-synchronous 400 km polar orbit that crosses the equator in the early afternoon to optimize daylight conditions.
EarthCARE will operate in a Sun-synchronous 400 km polar orbit crossing the equator in the early afternoon to optimize daylight conditions.
The EarthCARE satellite was developed by Airbus for the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
A NASA building near the SpaceX launch site in Vandenberg, California, housed EarthCARE during its storage period.
The EarthCARE satellite will launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The EarthCARE satellite will launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
EarthCARE’s cloud profiling radar is provided by JAXA and provides information on the vertical structure, motion, and internal dynamics of clouds.
EarthCARE is equipped with four instruments that work together: an atmospheric lidar, a cloud profiling radar provided by JAXA, a multispectral imager, and a broadband radiometer.
On March 17, 2022, ESA press release N° 9-2022 announced that following Roscosmos' decision to withdraw personnel from Europe's Spaceport, all missions scheduled for launch by Soyuz were put on hold and this affected Galileo M10, Galileo M11, Euclid, EarthCare, and one additional institutional launch.
The European Space Agency planned to launch the EarthCARE Earth science mission on a Soyuz in 2023 in cooperation with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
ESA plans to acquire a Falcon 9 launch for its EarthCARE Earth science mission in 2024.
Airbus Defence and Space in Friedrichshafen, Germany is prime contractor to develop and build the 2,000 kg EarthCARE satellite.
SpaceX is scheduled to launch the Airbus-built EarthCARE spacecraft in May on a Falcon 9.
Airbus Defence and Space in Friedrichshafen, Germany is the prime contractor to develop and build the 2-tonne EarthCARE satellite.
The EarthCARE satellite was designed and manufactured by a consortium of more than 75 companies under prime contractor Airbus.