Small Earth Observing Satellites Flying with Large Satellites in the A-Train

Abstract

This chapter presents Examples of the benefits of flying small satellites with other satellites, large and small. Scientists worldwide are beginning to take advantage of the opportunities for coincidental science offered by the international Earth observing constellation known as the A-Train. The A-Train comprises two large satellites (EOS-Aqua and EOS-Aura) flying with 4 small satellites (CloudSat, CALIPSO, PARASOL, and Glory). By flying in a constellation, each mission benefits from coincidental observations from instruments on the other satellites. The A-Train can be envisioned as a single, virtual science platform with mulTiple instruments. This chapter describes the challenges of operating an international constellation of independent satellites from the US and Europe to maximize the coincidental science opportunities while at the same time minimizing the operational interactions required between the teams. Constellation operations must be safe, but the team members must be able to conduct their respective science missions independently. The A-Train mission teams have also demonstrated that flying as members of a constellation does not take away the flexibility to accommodate new requirements.