Parasol (satellite)
| Company type | Satellite mission |
|---|---|
| Industry | Earth observation |
| Founded | December 18, 2004 |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Earth observation data on aerosols and clouds |
| Parent | CNES |
PARASOL (an acronym for Polarization & Anisotropy of Reflectances for Atmospheric Sciences coupled with Observations from a Lidar) was a French satellite dedicated to Earth observation, featuring the POLDER instrument. Its primary objective was to investigate the radiative characteristics and microphysical attributes of aerosols and clouds.
The satellite was deployed on December 18, 2004, from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana, utilizing an Ariane 5 G+ launch vehicle. PARASOL functioned as part of the "A Train" satellite formation, operating in conjunction with Aqua, CALIPSO, CloudSat, and Aura. This group combined a variety of sensing technologies, including passive radiometers and active lidar and radar instruments, to deliver detailed atmospheric observations.
On December 2, 2009, PARASOL was shifted out of the A-Train formation, lowering its orbit by about 4 kilometers beneath the other satellites by early 2010. The mission officially ended on December 18, 2013, concluding nearly nine years of service.