Credit: NASA image by Reto Stöckli
When did Aqua launch?
May 4, 2002
Where is Aqua?
438 miles (705 km) above Earth’s surface; the satellite is on a “free drift” where it lowers in height slowly as it nears the end of its time in orbit around the Earth. Find its current height here.
What does Aqua do?
Aqua’s main goal is to improve our understanding of Earth's water cycle. It collects information on ocean water, water vapor, clouds, precipitation, soil moisture, sea and land ice, and snow cover. It was the first in NASA’s “A-Train”, a group of satellites that orbit one right after the other like train cars on a track.
Learn more about NASA’s Aqua satellite.
