SpaceX launches EarthCARE climate satellite for ESA and JAXA

EarthCARE carries four instruments that work together to study clouds and atmospheric aerosols, enabling a comprehensive understanding of their impact on Earth’s climate. The Atmospheric LIDAR (ATLID) measures the altitudes of cloud tops and aerosols using a laser and telescope. It emits ultraviolet pulses and detects the scattered light to calculate the altitude and infer the type of particle.

The Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) uses millimeter-wave Doppler radar to penetrate clouds and collect data on their vertical structure. By studying the Doppler shift, it can measure the vertical motion and structural elements of the clouds.

The Broadband Radiometer (BBR) consists of three telescopes measuring the flux of radiation from Earth. One telescope points directly downward, while the others target points ahead and behind the satellite’s position, allowing observations from different angles as the satellite moves along its orbit. BBR measures both reflected sunlight and long-wave radiation emitted by Earth, crucial for monitoring the planet’s radiation balance.

The Multispectral Imager (MSI) is an imaging system with two cameras operating in various wavelength channels, including visible, infrared, and short-wave infrared. MSI provides context and spectral data to complement the measurements from ATLID, CPR, and BBR, with a resolution of up to 500 m and covering a 150 km swath.

EarthCARE was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The two-stage Falcon 9 consists of a reusable first stage booster and an expendable second stage.

The mission utilized the Falcon 9 booster B1081.7, which had previously flown six times, including missions like NASA’s PACE satellite launch and multiple Starlink deployments. After liftoff, the first stage powered the initial ascent for around two and a half minutes before separating and performing a return-to-launch-site (RTLS) landing at Landing Zone 4 near the launch pad.

Following stage separation, the second stage’s Merlin Vacuum engine ignited to continue the mission. The payload fairing separated shortly after, exposing EarthCARE to space. The second stage burned for over six minutes to deliver the satellite into its planned Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 393 km and an inclination of 97 degrees. Spacecraft separation occurred approximately ten minutes after liftoff.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 has established itself as a reliable and reasonable investment launch vehicle, with over 320 consecutive successful missions since its maiden flight in 2010. The rocket’s reusable first stage, powered by nine Merlin engines burning RP-1 kerosene and liquid oxygen, enables SpaceX to offer competitive launch prices while demonstrating a commitment to sustainable space exploration.