Aqua

active Mission

WHY

Improve Knowledge Earth's Water Cycle

HOW

Learn About Aqua's Instruments

IMAGES

See Hundreds of Aqua Images

Artist's concept of the Aqua spacecraft above Earth.

Aqua is a NASA Earth Science satellite mission that is collecting data about the Earth's water cycle.

Type

Orbiter

Launch

May 4, 2002

Target

Earth

Objective

Study Earth's water cycle

Experience Earth, our solar system, nearby asteroids, the universe, and the spacecraft exploring them with immersive real-time 3D web-based apps for Mac, PC and mobile devices. No download or sign up necessary.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/VTAD

Aqua Stories

Explore All Stories

Article

5 min read

NASA Data Helps Track Veterans’ Exposure to Air Pollution

Article

4 min read

NASA Study Finds Evidence That Fuel Regulation Reduced Air Pollution from Shipping

5 min read

Eyes on the Snow as Water Supplies Dwindle

Article2 years ago

3 min read

NASA’s AIRS Instrument Records Typhoon Hinnamnor Before Landfall

Article2 years ago

5 min read

Great Air Quality for the Great Lakes Region

Article2 years ago

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The image is divided horizontally by an undulating line between a cloudscape forming a nebula along the bottom portion and a comparatively clear upper portion. Speckled across both portions is a starfield, showing innumerable stars of many sizes. The smallest of these are small, distant, and faint points of light. The largest of these appear larger, closer, brighter, and more fully resolved with 8-point diffraction spikes. The upper portion of the image is blueish, and has wispy translucent cloud-like streaks rising from the nebula below. The orangish cloudy formation in the bottom half varies in density and ranges from translucent to opaque. The stars vary in color, the majority of which have a blue or orange hue. The cloud-like structure of the nebula contains ridges, peaks, and valleys – an appearance very similar to a mountain range. Three long diffraction spikes from the top right edge of the image suggest the presence of a large star just out of view.

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