ESA (European Space Agency) launched a satellite in August 2018 and just activated its laser
The ESA satellite Aeolus began to emit pulses of UV radiation from a laser to measure winds around the Earth. The device was sent to space on a Vega rocket from the European spaceport in French Guiana on August 22. From this moment, a 3-month testing period was launched, which included activation of the laser to ensure its functioning.
The goal of the Aeolus project is to improve our understanding of how the earth's atmosphere works and how to improve the accuracy of weather forecasts. The satellite laser releases 50 powerful beams of UV light per second, directing them into the atmosphere to measure signals from air molecules, dust particles and water droplets. This allows you to create a profile of wind speed in the lowest 30 km of the atmosphere.
The new technology helps to fill large gaps in meteorological data — global wind profiles in a cloudy atmosphere.
