active cavity radiometer irradiance monitor satellite africa aircraft altitude amazon river asia astronomer atlantic ocean calipso carbon dioxide china china-brazil earth resources satellite program climate cloud cloudsat colorado contrail defense meteorological satellite program disaster monitoring constellation dust storm earth earth observation satellite electromagnetic spectrum energy envisat equator europe european remote-sensing satellite farmer fengyun fire firefighter forest goms geostationary operational environmental satellite geostationary orbit gravity recovery and climate experiment hydros icesat ikonos ice india indian ocean infrared iraq japan kuwait lake landsat program light pollution list of earth observation satellites low earth orbit mainland china metop meteosat middle east moscow mount etna mountain multi-functional transport satellite npoess new millennium program news media nimbus program north america ocean current oil tanker orbit orbiting carbon observatory pacific ocean polar orbit pollution project vanguard quickbird quikscat remote sensing rocket russia seasat satellite satellite temperature measurements seawifs smog snow solar radiation and climate experiment solar time spain storm summer sun-synchronous orbit television infrared observation satellite terrasar-x tropical rainfall measuring mission turnstile antenna united states united states department of defense utah visible spectrum volcano weather wind