AQUA Satellite Sends First Images

NASA's newest Earth Observing System satellite, Aqua, is successfully providing data and engineering images. After more than six weeks on-orbit, the spacecraft and its six instruments are almost midway through their checkout period and are performing extremely well.

To date, science data in the form of engineering images have been received from five of Aqua's six instruments, with Japan's Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) producing Aqua's first geophysical product: a global map of sea surface temperatures. Initial data from Aqua's sixth instrument, MODIS, is expected this week.

"These engineering images are great, which tells us that we have a healthy spacecraft and all instruments are performing nominally. Everything indicates that we are on schedule to go operational in early September," said Phil Sabelhaus, Aqua's Project Manager at Goddard.

For the complete article and to view images, go to: http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/20020624aqua.html