The CALIPSO satellite provides new insight into the role that clouds and atmospheric aerosols (airborne particles) play in regulating Earths weather, climate, and air quality. CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation) combines an active lidar instrument with passive infrared and visible imagers to probe the vertical structure and properties of thin clouds and aerosols over the globe. CALIPSO was launched on April 28, 2006.
