The Terra satellite was initially called EOS AM-1. This satellite was launched in December 1999 and AM-2 is planned to be launched in 2004. The Terra/EOS AM-1 satellite crosses the equator at 10:30, while the Aqua (PM-1) satellite crosses at 13:30, local time. The imaging sensors are the Advanced Spacebourne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR), and Moderate Resolution Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The satellites have a polar, circular, sun-synchronous 705-km orbit with a 16-day repeat cycle. The ASTER instrument has channels in the VNIR, SWIR and TIR, with a swath width of 60 km. Channel 3 can also be pointed backward looking as well as nadir looking. MISR has a swath width of 360 km and consists of nine scanners at fixed angles: one nadir, four pointed fore, and four aft. The angled scanners are at 26.1, 45.6, 60.0, and 70.5 degrees. MISR has two spatial modes: Local and Global. In Local Mode the spatial resolution is 275 m, and in Global Mode these pixels are averaged either 4 x 4, 1 x 4, or 2 x 2. MODIS has 36 spectral bands and a 2330 km swath width.
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