EOS-Aura

EOS Aura is NASA’s atmospheric-chemistry satellite, launched 15 July 2004 into a sun-synchronous afternoon orbit as the third of the Earth Observing System flagships after Terra and Aqua. It carries four instruments: OMI for ozone and trace gases, MLS for upper-atmosphere profiles, TES, and HIRDLS. Aura tracks the ozone layer, tropospheric pollution, and stratospheric water vapor rather than the sea surface, so its maritime relevance is indirect, through air quality and the chemistry of the marine boundary layer. It anchored the A-train constellation alongside Aqua. OMI continued the long ozone record from earlier TOMS sensors.