The article discusses the NASA satellite Terra, which has been orbiting Earth since 1999 and has consistently provided valuable data on the planet's surface and atmosphere. The satellite was launched with five instruments designed to study Earth from a holistic perspective, gathering data on land, water, and the atmosphere.
Terra's orbit has undergone changes over time, including inclination adjustments made by NASA to maintain its fuel supply and preserve its ability to collect data. However, in 2020, NASA decided to stop making these adjustments, allowing Terra's orbit to drift into an earlier equator crossing time.
The satellite has also experienced power limitations due to the degradation of its battery, leading to the shutdown of one of its instruments, MOPITT. Despite this, the remaining four instruments continue to function with limitations.
Terra is being replaced by two sister satellites, Aqua and Aura, which will provide continued monitoring of Earth's climate and weather patterns.
The article concludes that Terra was a significant contributor to our understanding of the planet, making significant and first-of-a-kind global observations relevant to climate change. The loss of Terra and its sister satellites will change the way scientists monitor Earth, but it also marks the beginning of a new era in Earth observation with Aqua and Aura.
Key points:
* Terra was launched in 1999 and has been orbiting Earth for over 20 years.
* The satellite has five instruments designed to study Earth from a holistic perspective.
* Terra's orbit has undergone changes due to inclination adjustments made by NASA.
* One of the instruments, MOPITT, was shut down due to power limitations.
* Two sister satellites, Aqua and Aura, will provide continued monitoring of Earth's climate and weather patterns.
* The loss of Terra and its sister satellites marks the beginning of a new era in Earth observation.
Overall, the article highlights the significance of Terra and its contributions to our understanding of the planet, as well as the importance of continuous monitoring of Earth's climate and weather patterns.
Terra's orbit has undergone changes over time, including inclination adjustments made by NASA to maintain its fuel supply and preserve its ability to collect data. However, in 2020, NASA decided to stop making these adjustments, allowing Terra's orbit to drift into an earlier equator crossing time.
The satellite has also experienced power limitations due to the degradation of its battery, leading to the shutdown of one of its instruments, MOPITT. Despite this, the remaining four instruments continue to function with limitations.
Terra is being replaced by two sister satellites, Aqua and Aura, which will provide continued monitoring of Earth's climate and weather patterns.
The article concludes that Terra was a significant contributor to our understanding of the planet, making significant and first-of-a-kind global observations relevant to climate change. The loss of Terra and its sister satellites will change the way scientists monitor Earth, but it also marks the beginning of a new era in Earth observation with Aqua and Aura.
Key points:
* Terra was launched in 1999 and has been orbiting Earth for over 20 years.
* The satellite has five instruments designed to study Earth from a holistic perspective.
* Terra's orbit has undergone changes due to inclination adjustments made by NASA.
* One of the instruments, MOPITT, was shut down due to power limitations.
* Two sister satellites, Aqua and Aura, will provide continued monitoring of Earth's climate and weather patterns.
* The loss of Terra and its sister satellites marks the beginning of a new era in Earth observation.
Overall, the article highlights the significance of Terra and its contributions to our understanding of the planet, as well as the importance of continuous monitoring of Earth's climate and weather patterns.
it was literally like a pioneer in earth observation i remember when moppitt was down for like what 2 years and we were all like "what are we gonna do" lol anyway its time for the new crew aqua and aura to take over 
hope they can keep up with terra's legacy tho
. I mean, who needs a 20-year-old satellite when you've got new kids on the block like Aqua and Aura? On a serious note tho, it's kinda cool that Terra's been providing us with all this dope data for so long – it's like having an old friend in space 
! And let's be real, those inclination adjustments were probably getting a little outdated by 2020, right? Time to make way for the next gen of Earth observation satellites. 
i mean, it makes sense, the battery degradation thing... it's old tech after all 
but what's next? are we gonna be stuck with outdated satellites like that? 
nasa cld've just kept tweaking its orbit but they chose 2 shut down 1 instrument & let the other 3 rite 
anyway Aqua & Aura r comin up & ill b stoked 2 see whats new 
... I mean, the satellite has been with us for like, over 20 years now! It's been providing so much valuable data on our planet, and it's hard to think about what we'll be missing out on now that it's being replaced by Aqua and Aura 
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... Terra was one of the first satellites to study Earth from a holistic perspective, gathering data on land, water, and the atmosphere all at once.
. Terra made some really significant observations that are still relevant today, and I worry that we'll lose some of that valuable insight now that it's gone. But at the same time, Aqua and Aura are supposed to be even more advanced than Terra, so maybe this is an opportunity for us to learn something new 
.
but at the same time, i kinda get why scientists would wanna keep an eye on terra's data forever it was like a window to the past 
and now that it's shutting down, i'm not sure if we'll ever see those global observations again... 
Like, what's the plan for those instruments now that MOPITT is gone anyway? I guess it's good that Aqua and Aura are coming in though... those two seem like they'll do just fine 
Terra's been a game-changer for climate change research & I'm sad it's getting retired but at the same time I'm super excited for Aqua & Aura to come in & take over 
. They're gonna make our lives so much easier with all that data on climate & weather patterns 
. It's like, we can finally have a better grasp on what's going on with our planet & how we can help keep it healthy 
. Can't wait to see what other awesome things NASA comes up with next! 
]
One instrument went dark due to power issues 
after servin us with that amazing data for over 20 yrs! it's crazy how much we learned from that satellite, especially about our planet's atmosphere and climate 
. still, it's sad to see one of its instruments shut down, but the good news is that aqua and aura are comin in to help us keep track of our planet's health 
. gotta say, i'm excited for this new era in earth observation 
. Like, it was launched in '99! That's ancient space tech compared to what we're seeing nowadays.
!
, it's been orbiting earth for like over 20 years and has given us so much info about our planet 
. lets just hope they can make up for terra's awesome contributions