How the largest Earth Explorer mission aims to decode our planet's complex climate

As the climate crisis intensifies, the EarthCARE mission prepares to launch. This collaboration between ESA and JAXA deploys advanced technology to study the intricate relationship between clouds, aerosols, and radiation, providing essential data for the next generation of global climate models.

EarthCARE, or the Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer, stands as the most sophisticated and expansive Earth Explorer mission to date. By focusing on kilometre-scale resolution, the mission seeks to clarify how cloud convection influences Earth's radiation budget, a critical factor in understanding modern climate dynamics.

The mission represents a significant international partnership between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA). The project involves a diverse team of experts, including Pavlos Kollias, Thorsten Fehr, Robin Hogan, Dirk Bernaerts, Kotska Wallace, Tomomi Nio, Eiichi Tomita, Ulla Wandinger, and Bjoern Frommknecht.

Source: Meet the team behind EarthCARE