EarthCARE: Launch of European-Japanese satellite to study the influence of clouds on the climate.

EarthCARE spacecraft was launched on the morning of 29th May 2024, at 3.20 pm local time (12.20 am CET on Wednesday). It was launched using the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in California. The launch was broadcast live on the ESA YouTube channel. 

The EarthCARE spacecraft is a collaborative work of the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ESA & JAXA).

The name EarthCARE demonstrates the main motive of the satellite.

CARE is an acronym for Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer. The scientists plan to study the effect of clouds and atmospheric particles (Aerosol) on the Earth’s climate.

The study will be based on the phenomenon of reflection of light. Digging deep into how the clouds and aerosols act as a barrier or the reflecting surface to the solar radiation or the thermal radiation emitting from the Earth’s surface. They will study how climate and the clouds and aerosols affect each other. 

The aerosol particles and clouds in today’s time and technology can be either natural or artificial. EarthCARE will allow us to differentiate between the two and give a detailed review as to what percentage is caused by whom and prepare us to find solutions to problems caused by them. With an increased rate of global warming and the increased temperature of the Earth, the project has become more crucial to take thoughtful measures for a better future. 

EarthCARE has 4 main elements to conduct the entire study.

Atmospheric Lidar (ATLID), Multi-Spectral Imager (MSI)- Developed by Airbus

Broad-Band Radiometer (BBR)- Developed by ESA

Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR)- Developed by JAXA

ATLID will provide a vertical review of the clouds and the aerosols. 

MSI will state the wavelengths of all kinds of light that are emitted from Earth’s surface. 

BBR measures the solar and heat radiation from Earth. 

CPR will examine the clouds vertically and give data on the internal thermal characteristics of the clouds.

Together all these four instruments come and provide a diverse and in-depth understanding of the earth’s atmosphere and the radiation balance. Based on this data, we can predict and regulate Earth’s climate. Enhancing the climate models and weather predictions. 

Airbus, the European-based aerospace corporation was the key to making EarthCARE. Their unit in Friedrichshafen, Germany led the entire manufacturing process. 

Due to the recent atmospheric state of Earth, Simonetta Cheli, the current head of ESA’s Earth Observation Programmes, says that this satellite is “even more relevant today than when it was conceived”.

First started in 2004, and after 20 years it is finally up in space. This launch has been a dream and hard work for thousands of scientists across the globe. The satellite is aimed to orbit the earth for three years and aid with a great deal of information to the team. The first set of data is to be released in 6 months. 

The success of the launch was first known in less than an hour due to the satellite’s contact with the Hartebeesthoek ground station in South Africa. While we wait for the results of this launch in about 6 months, we need to celebrate the ESA and JAXA team for their commendable work and congratulate them on having their decades of hard work come to life.