Terra (satellite)

Terra

Artistic rendering of the satellite
Mission type	Climate research
Operator	NASA
COSPAR ID	1999-068A
SATCAT no.	25994
Website	terra.nasa.gov
Mission duration	Elapsed: 24 years, 5 months, 9 days
Spacecraft properties
Manufacturer	NASA
Launch mass	4,864 kilograms (10,723 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date	December 18, 1999, 18:57:39 (1999-12-18UTC18:57:39Z) UTC
Rocket	Atlas IIAS AC-141
Launch site	Vandenberg SLC-3E
Contractor	ILS
End of mission
Disposal	Deorbited
Last contact	2025-2026 (planned)
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Low Earth
Semi-major axis	7,080.0 kilometers (4,399.3 mi)
Eccentricity	0.0001392
Perigee altitude	708.7 kilometers (440.4 mi)
Apogee altitude	710.6 kilometers (441.5 mi)
Inclination	98.2098°
Period	98.8 minutes
RAAN	251.3130 degrees
Argument of perigee	83.7699 degrees
Mean anomaly	276.3654 degrees
Mean motion	14.57110250
Epoch	25 June 2016, 02:58:27 UTC
Revolution no.	87867

Terra (EOS AM-1) is a multi-national scientific research satellite operated by NASA in a Sun-synchronous orbit around the Earth. It takes simultaneous measurements of Earth's atmosphere, land, and water to understand how Earth is changing and to identify the consequences for life on Earth.^[1] It is the flagship of the Earth Observing System (EOS) and the first satellite of the system which was followed by Aqua (launched in 2002) and Aura (launched in 2004). Terra was launched in 1999.

The name "Terra" comes from the Latin word for Earth. A naming contest was held by NASA among U.S. high school students. The winning essay was submitted by Sasha Jones of Brentwood, Missouri. The identifier "AM-1" refers to its orbit, passing over the equator in the morning.