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News Release 06-25P ER-2 Aloft Again After a lengthy downtime for a major overhaul, NASA 806, one of NASA's two high-flying ER-2 Earth resources aircraft, took to the skies recently from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center on its first science mission in over two years. The flight checked out the functionality of sensitive instruments that will calibrate and validate data from sensors installed on the recently launched CALIPSO and CloudSat weather, climate and air quality monitoring satellites during a series of missions led by NASA's Langley Research Center with support from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in late July and August. CALIPSO, an acronym for Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations, combines an active lidar instrument with passive infrared and visible-light imagers to probe the vertical structure and properties of thin clouds and aerosols (airborne particles). The complimentary CloudSat satellite carries a cloud profiling radar system that uses microwave energy to observe cloud particles and determine the mass of water and ice within clouds. The mission will provide the first global survey of cloud properties that are critical for understanding their effects on both weather and climate. Flying in formation with three other satellites, CALIPSO and CloudSat are expected to provide scientists and meteorologists with a greater understanding of our climate system. Photo Description NASA Dryden life support technician Jim Sokolik assists pressure-suited pilot Dee Porter into the cockpit of NASA's ER-2 Earth resources aircraft. July 13, 2006 NASA Photo / Jim Ross ED06-0117-13
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News Release 06-25P ER-2 Aloft Again After a lengthy downtime for a major overhaul, NASA 806, one of NASA's two high-flying ER-2 Earth resources aircraft, took to the skies recently from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center on its first science mission in over two years. The flight checked out the functionality of sensitive instruments that will calibrate and validate data from sensors installed on the recently launched CALIPSO and CloudSat weather, climate and air quality monitoring satellites during a series of missions led by NASA's Langley Research Center with support from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in late July and August. CALIPSO, an acronym for Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations, combines an active lidar instrument with passive infrared and visible-light imagers to probe the vertical structure and properties of thin clouds and aerosols (airborne particles). The complimentary CloudSat satellite carries a cloud profiling radar system that uses microwave energy to observe cloud particles and determine the mass of water and ice within clouds. The mission will provide the first global survey of cloud properties that are critical for understanding their effects on both weather and climate. Flying in formation with three other satellites, CALIPSO and CloudSat are expected to provide scientists and meteorologists with a greater understanding of our climate system. Photo Description NASA Dryden life support technician Jim Sokolik assists pressure-suited pilot Dee Porter into the cockpit of NASA's ER-2 Earth resources aircraft. July 13, 2006 NASA Photo / Jim Ross ED06-0117-13
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