How a complex new satellite will help us decode Earth's changing climate

The EarthCARE satellite has departed Munich for California. Watch to learn how this joint ESA and JAXA mission uses four unique instruments to study the critical relationship between clouds, aerosols, and atmospheric temperature.

EarthCARE, the Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer, represents the most complex mission in the Earth Explorer series to date. The satellite is designed to investigate how clouds and aerosols influence the planet's energy balance by reflecting solar radiation and trapping infrared radiation from the surface.

The video features insights from key mission leaders, including ESA's Simonetta Cheli, Thorsten Fehr, and Dirk Bernaerts, alongside JAXA's Eiichi Tomita. Following its arrival at SpaceX's Vandenberg site, the satellite is scheduled for a May launch aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.

Source: EarthCARE bids adieu to Europe