ESA - Aeolus - Archive

ESA title

The mission

Aeolus was the first satellite mission to acquire profiles of Earth’s wind on a global scale. These observations improved weather forecasts and climate models. The Aeolus satellite carried just one large instrument – a Doppler wind lidar that measured the winds sweeping around our planet. Surpassing scientific expectations and exceeding its planned life in orbit, the mission ended on 28 July 2023.

The launch

Date: 22 August 2018
Site: Kourou, French Guiana
Rocket: Vega

1st wind lidar in space
7 billion UV pulses
5 years in orbit
3 billion euros societal benefit

Aeolus

Aeolus improves wind measurements

Keeper of the winds shines on

26/04/2022 5485 views 76 likes

Profiling the world's winds

Aeolus paves the way for future wind lidars in space

14/12/2021 5018 views 71 likes

Ground laser checking on Aeolus

Joining forces for Aeolus

20/09/2021 3932 views 95 likes

Polar vortex change

Aeolus shines a light on polar vortex

04/02/2021 13740 views 132 likes

Aerosols from Saharan dust plume

Satellites track unusual Saharan dust plume

09/07/2020 23292 views 95 likes

Aeolus goes public

12/05/2020 11063 views 108 likes

Fewer flights mean fewer atmospheric measurements

COVID-19: Aeolus and weather forecasts

21/04/2020 6712 views 54 likes

Weather room at ECMWF

Aeolus winds now in daily weather forecasts

10/01/2020 7608 views 125 likes

Understanding Earth’s winds

Improving new Aeolus wind data for forecasts

12/11/2019 3875 views 40 likes

Measuring cyclones

ESA spacecraft dodges large constellation

03/09/2019 35200 views 421 likes

Wind measurements from Aeolus second laser

Second laser boosts Aeolus power

23/07/2019 7141 views 100 likes

Strong wind over western Europe

Aeolus well on the way to improving forecasts

05/04/2019 4573 views 46 likes

Cloud-free Europe

New observations for the new economy

08/03/2019 10191 views 88 likes

Profiling the world's winds

Taking Aeolus to the next level

11/02/2019 3360 views 57 likes

Aeolus in orbit

Enabling & Support

Laser battle that gave Europe our Aeolus wind-mapper

05/11/2018 4220 views 63 likes

Winds imaged by Aeolus

Aeolus wows with first wind data

12/09/2018 14865 views 180 likes

First light from Aeolus

Aeolus laser shines light on wind

05/09/2018 11763 views 170 likes

Critical days for Aeolus

Enabling & Support

Wind mission ready for next phase

24/08/2018 6311 views 108 likes

ESA’s Aeolus wind satellite launched

23/08/2018 17146 views 139 likes

Enabling & Support

Aeolus teams ready for space

17/08/2018 6718 views 68 likes

Aeolus in the launch tower

Aeolus in launch tower

14/08/2018 6999 views 85 likes

Encapsulation

Aeolus sealed from view

09/08/2018 6185 views 77 likes

Fuelling specialists tend Aeolus

Wind satellite fuelled for flight

02/08/2018 2526 views 47 likes

Measuring cyclones

Enabling & Support

Aeolus — preparing to fly the wind mission

24/07/2018 12278 views 81 likes

Aeolus arrives

Full steam ahead for Aeolus launch

06/07/2018 4962 views 81 likes

Aeolus boarding

Aeolus sets sail

15/06/2018 2983 views 55 likes

Aeolus on show

Wind satellite shows off

05/06/2018 5027 views 76 likes

Laser reading

Wind satellite survives vacuum

07/02/2018 3410 views 45 likes

Aeolus ready for the chamber

Wind satellite vacuum packed

02/11/2017 5505 views 66 likes

Aeolus ready for next step

Wind satellite heads for final testing

30/01/2017 6521 views 92 likes

Measuring cyclones

Vega to launch ESA’s wind mission

07/09/2016 7790 views 84 likes

Profiling the world's winds

Aladin wind probe ready for Aeolus

02/08/2016 12469 views 144 likes

Measuring cyclones

Chasing polar winds with lasers

04/06/2015 4115 views 38 likes

Keeper of the winds

Perseverance paves way for wind laser

22/04/2015 8285 views 104 likes

Scattering light

Romania to shed new light on the atmosphere

14/10/2014 4318 views 40 likes

Tower of winds, Athens

Livas brings aerosols and clouds under one roof

17/04/2014 3747 views 34 likes

Wind laser survives extremes

15/01/2014 4250 views 52 likes

Laser pulse

90 million laser shots bring wind satellite back on track

16/04/2013 11621 views 61 likes

Volcano plume from Falcon aircraft

Experts gather as volcanic dust settles

28/05/2010 1893 views 2 likes

Ash cloud observed by lidar

Enabling & Support

New tools aid volcanic ash monitoring

22/04/2010 2362 views 3 likes

Greenland from the DLR aircraft

Campaign over ice sheets tests Aeolus technology

18/03/2010 1195 views 0 likes

Scattered sunlight

Enabling & Support

New findings benefit future lidar missions

10/02/2010 1866 views 2 likes

The Schneefernerhaus mountain observatory

DLR carries out mountain campaign for Aeolus

26/08/2009 1140 views 0 likes

ADM-Aeolus

ADM-Aeolus Announcement of Opportunity

01/10/2007 1066 views 0 likes

ADM-Aeolus transmitter laser

Critical laser components stand the test of time for ESA's …

06/06/2007 1099 views 0 likes

Aeolus: ESA's wind mission

Scientists and engineers meet to further ESA’s wind mission

03/10/2006 865 views 0 likes

The A2D integrated in the Falcon research aircraft

First test flights of ALADIN airborne prototype exceed expe…

21/11/2005 1562 views 1 likes

Aeolus with laser beam

ADM-Aeolus laser bursts into life

12/09/2005 2286 views 2 likes

Aeous Structural Model in the Large European Acoustic Facility (LEAF)

ADM-Aeolus testing successfully completed

13/07/2005 1364 views 0 likes

ALADIN structural model on satellite simulator

ADM-Aeolus reaches milestone as instrument testing begins

26/04/2005 1315 views 0 likes

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