About Terra
Approximately the size of a small school bus, the Terra satellite carries five instruments that take coincident measurements of the Earth system:
- Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER)
- Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES)
- Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT)
- Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS).
- Multi-angle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR)
Terra is in a circular sun-synchronous polar orbit that takes it from north to south (on the daylight side of the Earth) every 99 minutes.
Spacecraft Quick Facts:
Size: the spacecraft bus is 6.8 m long and 3.5 m across.
Weight: 5,190 kg (11,442 lbs.) at launch
Orbit Quick Facts:
Altitude: 705 kilometers (438 miles) above Earth's surface
Inclination: 98.5 degrees
Period: 99 minutes (16 orbits per day)
Equatorial crossing: 10:30 a.m., descending node