https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201611901001
ESA’s Spaceborne Lidar Mission ADM-Aeolus; Recent Achievements and Preparations for Launch
1 European Space Agency (ESA/ESTEC), PO Box 299, 2200 AG Noordwijk, Netherlands
2 European Space Agency (ESA/ESRIN), Casella Postale 64, 00044 Frascati (Roma), Italy
* Email: anne.straume@esa.int
Published online: 7 June 2016
Within ESA’s Living Planet Programme, the Atmospheric Dynamics Mission (ADM-Aeolus) was chosen as the second Earth Explorer Core mission in 1999. It shall demonstrate the potential of high spectral resolution Doppler Wind lidars for operational measurements of wind profiles and their use in Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP). Spin-off products are profiles of cloud and aerosol optical properties. ADM-Aeolus carries the novel Doppler Wind lidar instrument ALADIN.
Recently the two ALADIN laser transmitters were successfully qualified and delivered for further instrument integration. The instrument delivery will follow later this year and the satellite qualification and launch readiness is scheduled for 2016.
In February 2015, an Aeolus Science and Calibration and Validation (CAL/VAL) Workshop was held in ESA-ESRIN, Frascati, Italy, bringing industry, the user community and ESA together to prepare for the Aeolus Commissioning and Operational Phases. During the Workshop the science, instrument and product status, commissioning phase planning and the extensive number of proposals submitted in response to the Aeolus CAL/VAL call in 2014 were presented and discussed. A special session was dedicated to the Aeolus CAL/VAL Implementation Plan.
In this paper, the Aeolus mission, status and launch preparation activities are described.
© Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2016
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