BackForward Satellite Programme: Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Single satellite programme for cloud/radiation process study.  Previous name: PICASSO-CENA (Pathfinder Instruments for Cloud and Aerosol Spaceborne Observations / Climatologie Etendue des Nuages et des Aerosols).
  • Joint USA-France programme: NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) responsible of the overall programme and supplier of the main instrument and the launch service, CNES supplier of the platform and the IR imager.  Shared system operations.
  • The platform is actively stabilised over 3 axes.
  • The design life time of the satellite is 3 years.
  • The satellite exploits a sunsynchronous orbit around 13:30 within the A-Train.
  • See detailed description at http://www-calipso.larc.nasa.gov.
Data circulation
  • Onboard stored data downlinked to the stations in Alaska (prime), and Hawaii (backup).
  • Data processed at the NASA/LaRC Atmospheric Sciences Data Center (ASDC).
Agencies NASA , CNES
Programme lifetime 2006 - 2023
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned

  • Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations