atlas IIAS

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.

An Atlas IIAS rocket launched the MLV-11 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) Dec. 5, 2000, from Space Launch Complex-36A at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The mission was dedicated to Dan Potter, an employee of the Central Intelligence Agency assigned to the NRO and an advocate of the NRO Cub Run Partners in Education Program. Students at a local elementary school where he tutored submitted designs to be placed on the rocket’s payload fairing. The Ursa Major constellation, or the Great Bear, was selected as the theme for the contest.