EarthCARE validation aircraft tracks

Launched just six months ago and still in its commissioning phase, ESA’s EarthCARE satellite is already producing remarkable data from its four instruments, offering groundbreaking insights into clouds, aerosols, and Earth’s energy balance. Highlighting the importance to Earth system science and climate research, teams worldwide are out in force taking measurements to verify and enhance the accuracy of EarthCARE’s data.

The map offers a glimpse into the unprecedented number of flights that have already taken place and shows the broad coverage in terms of climatological conditions, including Tropical, mid-latitude and Arctic zones. It also highlights the close synergies between science and validation, as many of these collaborative campaigns are achieving multiple objectives for other missions, whilst also contributing to the validation of EarthCARE.

Read full story: Taking to the skies for EarthCARE