Readying EarthCARE to roll to the acoustic chamber

ESA’s EarthCARE satellite being moved to the Large European Acoustic Facility at ESA’s ESTEC Test Centre in the Netherlands. In the chamber, the satellite is exposed to noise similar to what it will have to contend with during liftoff. The satellite spent almost 12 months in the Netherlands being tested to ensure that it will withstand the space environment once it is in orbit. The mission will answer critical scientific questions related to the role that clouds and aerosols play in reflecting incident solar radiation back out to space and trapping infrared radiation emitted from Earth’s surface.