Glory (satellite)

Glory
Artist's impression of Glory
Mission typeClimate research
OperatorNASA / GSFC
Websitewww.nasa.gov/mission_pages/Glory/main/
Mission durationFailed to orbit
3 years (planned)
Spacecraft properties
Launch mass545 kilograms (1,202 lb)
Power400 watts
Start of mission
Launch date4 March 2011, 10:09:43 (2011-03-04UTC10:09:43Z) UTC
RocketTaurus XL 3110 (T9)
Launch siteVandenberg, LC-576E
ContractorOrbital Sciences
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
EpochPlanned
On 23 February 2011, NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver (left) visited the mission's launch site.

The Glory satellite was a planned NASA satellite mission that would have collected data on the chemical, micro-physical and optical properties—and the spatial and temporal distributions—of sulfate and other aerosols, and would have collected solar irradiance data for the long-term climate record. The science focus areas served by Glory included: atmospheric composition; carbon cycle, ecosystems, and biogeochemistry; climate variability and change; and water and energy cycles.[1] The US$424 million satellite was lost on 4 March 2011, when its Taurus XL carrier rocket malfunctioned.[2] A subsequent investigation revealed that the fairing system failed to open fully, causing the satellite to reenter the atmosphere at which point it likely broke up and burned.[3] NASA investigators later determined the cause for the launch failure to be faulty materials provided by aluminum manufacturer Sapa Profiles.[4]

  1. ^ Smith, Yvette (February 4, 2008). "NASA FY 2009 Budget Request" (PDF). NASA. pp. Sci-29. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 15, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2009.
  2. ^ Roosevelt, Margot (March 9, 2011). "Loss of satellite is 'serious setback' for Earth climate research". Los Angeles Times.
  3. ^ Buck, Joshua (February 19, 2013). "NASA Releases Glory Taurus XL Launch Failure Report Summary Archived 2019-05-02 at the Wayback Machine". NASA. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  4. ^ Potter, Sean (30 April 2019). "NASA Investigation Uncovers Cause of Science Mission Launch Failures". NASA (Press release).

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