Aura

EOS CH-1

Mission Profile

Aura (EOS CH-1) is a NASA Earth Observing System satellite launched on 15 July 2004 aboard a Delta II, dedicated to studying Earth's atmospheric chemistry and the dynamics of the stratosphere and troposphere. Carrying four instruments — MLS, OMI, HIRDLS, and TES — Aura tracks ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, methane, carbon monoxide, and aerosols across the full atmospheric column, contributing directly to monitoring the recovery of the ozone layer and understanding air quality and climate forcing. The OMI instrument aboard Aura produces daily global maps of air pollutants at unprecedented spatial resolution, enabling tracking of volcanic emissions, industrial pollution, and biomass burning events worldwide. Aura has operated well beyond its planned 6-year design lifetime and continues contributing to long-term atmospheric chemistry records.