1 00:00:00,010 --> 00:00:04,040 The Cloud-Aerosol Transport System, or CATS is a new instrument 2 00:00:04,040 --> 00:00:08,090 for the Space Station, that will measure and characterize 3 00:00:08,090 --> 00:00:12,100 the world-wide distribution of clouds and tiny aerosols particles or tiny 4 00:00:12,100 --> 00:00:16,130 atmospheric particles in the Earth's atmosphere. CATS is 5 00:00:16,130 --> 00:00:20,170 spectacular opportunity utilize the Space Station infrasturture 6 00:00:20,170 --> 00:00:24,190 to obtain important Earth science measurements at a modest cost 7 00:00:24,190 --> 00:00:28,210 As the first instrument for Earth science to be develop at Goddard 8 00:00:28,210 --> 00:00:32,300 Space Flight Center and installed on Space Station, CATS will provide capabilities 9 00:00:32,300 --> 00:00:36,310 that haven't been demonstrated before from space. CATS a 10 00:00:36,310 --> 00:00:40,310 remote sensing instrument or LiDAR that provides measurements of clouds and particles 11 00:00:40,310 --> 00:00:44,360 in the Earth atmosphere. LiDAR works alike radar, except we use 12 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:48,400 low energy pulses of visible and near visible laser light. 13 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:52,470 The CATS instrument consists of two lasers, each having different characteristic. 14 00:00:52,470 --> 00:00:56,530 a receiving telescope and special photon counting detectors. 15 00:00:56,530 --> 00:01:00,550 Overall, CATS packs a significant scientific capability and a lot of technology 16 00:01:00,550 --> 00:01:04,590 into a package about the size of a household refrigerator. 17 00:01:04,590 --> 00:01:08,650 LiDAR works by sending discrete pulses of laser light into the 18 00:01:08,650 --> 00:01:12,680 atmosphere and detecting the small fraction of light that scatters from particles. 19 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,720 CATS will generate profiles of clouds and particles in the Earth's atmosphere 20 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,790 to identify the present in height of clouds and particulate layers. 21 00:01:20,790 --> 00:01:24,820 Detailed observation of clouds and particles are important for many reasons. 22 00:01:24,820 --> 00:01:28,860 But three key uses are for providing information 23 00:01:28,860 --> 00:01:32,870 on real time hazard events, such as volcanic eruptions, for studies of 24 00:01:32,870 --> 00:01:36,910 energy balance, that's climate change, and for examine the affects of man-made and 25 00:01:36,910 --> 00:01:40,950 natural pollutants on air quality, health affects. Let's take each of these 26 00:01:40,950 --> 00:01:44,970 three points in order. For example, CATS can determine the top and bottom height 27 00:01:44,970 --> 00:01:49,000 of volcanic plumes. That information can be used to make 28 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:53,050 better decisions on airplane routing and cancellations. The volcanic 29 00:01:53,050 --> 00:01:57,060 eruption in Iceland in 2010 resulted in almost 30 00:01:57,060 --> 00:02:01,070 a hundred thousands canceled flights and cost nearly two billion dollars, because airlines 31 00:02:01,070 --> 00:02:05,120 dare not send planes any where into or near plumes for fear of damaging the engines. 32 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:09,140 Second, CATS permits study of clouds 33 00:02:09,140 --> 00:02:13,180 Clouds are the largest uncertainties in predicting climate change because 34 00:02:13,180 --> 00:02:17,190 clouds are the key regulator of the planets average temperature. 35 00:02:17,190 --> 00:02:21,220 For scientists to create more accurate climate models, they have to include better representation of clouds. 36 00:02:21,220 --> 00:02:25,260 Which means they need more information on to which base their models. 37 00:02:25,260 --> 00:02:29,270 Third, small particles, such as dust blown from deserts, smoke from 38 00:02:29,270 --> 00:02:33,280 intense forest fires, or man-made pollutants can have significant impact 39 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:37,310 on the Earth's climate and on human health an air quality. 40 00:02:37,310 --> 00:02:41,360 CATS data will also be used to improve computer models of 41 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:45,380 clouds and aerosols particles. Right now the vertical distributions and the mirco 42 00:02:45,380 --> 00:02:49,410 physical properties of atmospheric particles are often poorly resolved by 43 00:02:49,410 --> 00:02:53,460 computer models. To improve the quality of the simulations 44 00:02:53,460 --> 00:02:57,480 requires real time data about the particle type and height. 45 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:01,490 LiDAR can provide that vertical distributions and we know that will address 46 00:03:01,490 --> 00:03:05,500 one of the biggest weaknesses in the models at this moment. 47 00:03:05,500 --> 00:03:09,530 The Space Station orbit is a good fit for CATS, because the station transits over and along 48 00:03:09,530 --> 00:03:13,590 primary aerosols transport routes in the atmosphere. Data from CATS 49 00:03:13,590 --> 00:03:17,670 will be transmitted to the ground continuously and near real time to be 50 00:03:17,670 --> 00:03:21,690 promptly assimilated into computer models to create improvements in those 51 00:03:21,690 --> 00:03:25,730 models. That real time data capability is made possible 52 00:03:25,730 --> 00:03:29,740 by the Space Station communications infrasture. 53 00:03:29,740 --> 00:03:33,770 On the whole, CATS is a cost effective way to demonstrate new technology 54 00:03:33,770 --> 00:03:37,830 and new measurements that will inform future satellite missions. 55 00:03:37,830 --> 00:03:41,940 The build cost approach embrased by the CATS team is a fiscally responsible 56 00:03:41,940 --> 00:03:45,980 way to obtain important Earth science measurements and being able 57 00:03:45,980 --> 00:03:50,060 utilized the Space Station as a platform begins a new and exciting era for Earth science. 58 00:03:50,060 --> 00:03:54,090 An that in a nutshell, is the why and wherefore of CATS. 59 00:03:54,090 --> 00:03:58,110 CATS is set to launch later this year on SpaceX 5 and we are 60 00:03:58,110 --> 00:04:02,160 very much looking forward to this exciting new Earth science capability. 61 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:02.576 [end]