Aura

active Mission

aura science

Ozone

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Air Quality

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Aura Stories
This image is an animated version of the Aura satellite in orbit. The satellite, seen centered in the image, is made up of silver and gold box-like shapes and instruments. Spanning out to the right of the satellite is a long sheet of solar panels. In the background of the image at the bottom is a portion of Earth seen with clouds and a blue haze surrounding it. The top of the background is the deep black of space, with a cluster of green colored stars to the left.

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
anniversary event

Celebrating Aura's 20th!

Launched in 2004, the Aura mission has been nothing short of transformative for scientific research and applied sciences. Bryan Duncan, Aura's Project Scientist writes a letter of reflection in celebration of the mission. Find out more about the Aura's 20th Launch Anniversary Event held on September 18 at Goddard Space Flight Center.

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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.

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Aura in focus in the A-train
Potential Evolution of the Aura Mission

Aura Stories

Explore All Aura Stories
Article
4 min read

NASA Celebrates 20 Years of Earth-Observing Aura Satellite

This image is an animated version of the Aura satellite in orbit. The satellite, seen centered in the image, is made up of silver and gold box-like shapes and instruments. Spanning out to the right of the satellite is a long sheet of solar panels. In the background of the image at the bottom is a portion of Earth seen with clouds and a blue haze surrounding it. The top of the background is the deep black of space, with a cluster of green colored stars to the left.
Article
4 min read

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

3 min read

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

Article2 years ago
3 min read

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

Article3 years ago
4 min read

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

Article3 years ago
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