Date posted: 03/12/2009*

Raytheon Space Systems has shipped its Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor (APS) to Orbital Sciences’ facilities in Dulles, Va., where it will be integrated with NASA’s Glory spacecraft and readied for launch.

Glory APS, a sensor central to NASA’s three-year Glory mission, will increase our understanding of the impact of aerosols on global climate change. As a primary sensor for the mission, the Raytheon unit is designed to measure with unprecedented accuracy the global distribution of natural and man-made aerosols.

Unique APS Capabilities

Raytheon’s APS is the only instrument able to distinguish between the various aerosols in Earth’s atmosphere and measure them accurately from space. It will measure reflected sunlight that traverses Earth’s atmosphere and interacts with aerosols.

“The Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor and the Glory mission serve an important purpose, one that will advance our understanding of the effect of aerosols on global warming and help us distinguish between natural and man-made aerosols,” said Bill Hart, vice president for Space Systems. “The data we provide will allow U.S. policymakers to reach better-informed decisions with regard to human interaction with the environment.”

Read the press release.