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Aura

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Aura (Latin for breeze) obtains measurements of ozone, aerosols and key gases throughout the atmosphere.

Type

Orbiter

Launch

July 15, 2004

Target

Earth

Objective

Measure trace gases in Earth's atmosphere

FEATURED ARTICLE

Aura at 20 Years

Launched in 2004, the Aura mission has been nothing short of transformative for scientific research and applied sciences. Bryan Duncan, Aura's Project Scientist reflects in celebration of the mission.

20 years of Aura

20 years of Aura

System Analysis

Potential Evolution of the Aura Mission

The Aura satellite and its instruments are in good/excellent health, having aged well. This status is expected to continue to the end of the mission. Insufficient power generation by the solar array is conservatively predicted to be the life-limiting factor for the Aura satellite and instruments by mid-2026.

Aura in focus in the A-train

Potential Evolution of the Aura Mission

Aura Stories

Explore All Aura Stories

NASA Celebrates 20 Years of Earth-Observing Aura Satellite

2023 Ozone Hole Ranks 16th Largest, NASA and NOAA Researchers Find

Ozone Hole Continues Shrinking in 2022, NASA and NOAA Scientists Say

2021 Antarctic Ozone Hole 13th-Largest, Will Persist into November

Protecting the Ozone Layer Also Protects Earth’s Ability to Sequester Carbon

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