Earth observation, satellite communications, which provides new insight into the role that clouds and atmospheric aerosols play in regulating the weather, climate and air quality hit its goal of two billion times.

Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared satellite Pathfinder (CALIPSO) mission developed by NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, and the French Space Agency, National Center for Space Studies (CNES) fired his lasers in Earth’s atmosphere over two billion ever since its beginning of April 2006.

Along with the passive infrared and visible printers, laser rangefinders CALIPSO’s, advanced laser ranging technology, sensors, vertical structure and properties of thin clouds and aerosols around the globe. This unique, high-resolution, top to bottom profile was created from the laser pulses used in the international scientific community to better understand the complex interactions of clouds and aerosols – one of the least understood processes in the Earth system.

“The success of Calypso, as shown in this milestone is a tribute to the entire team – from design to operation. It was a truly great global cooperation,” said Pat Lucker, head of the working group and ground systems manager for CALIPSO. “As we work toward the next two billion images, we are encouraged by the response of the scientific community to our data.”

Because very few lasers used in the CALIPSO flew into the hostile environment of space, the satellite was developed and launched two LIDAR units. Primary laser almost completed their three-year mission amounted to more than 1.6 billion pulses of light and 20 terabytes of data, but was developed slow leak pressure canister. Backup laser was incorporated in early 2009 and almost three years after the launch, sent back to its “first light” image on 12 March.

CALIPSO is a joint effort between NASA and CNES. NASA and Ball Aerospace developed the lidar instrument, CNES and Thales Alenia Space, formerly Alcatel Space, built Proteus satellite platform.

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