CloudSat - CloudSat

Since 2006, CloudSat has flown the first satellite-based, millimeter-wavelength radar to detect clouds. The radar outfitted on the CloudSat satellite was more than 1000 times the sensitivity of existing weather radars at the time. Unlike ground-based weather radars that use centimeter wavelengths to detect raindrop-sized particles, CloudSat's radar allows researchers to detect much smaller particles of liquid water and ice that make up the large cloud masses that determine local and regional weather patterns.

Learn more about the NASA CloudSat Mission.

Through participating in the CloudSat Education Network (CEN), GLOBE students can learn how NASA missions and satellite observations further the scientific understanding of the Earth's energy and water budget. Through this process, the CloudSat team focuses on inspiring and motivating students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics by supporting improvements in Earth science education using CloudSat results.

CloudSat also seeks to contribute Earth science learning opportunities to students and lifelong learners by encouraging them to enter ground-truth measurement data that will be compared to CloudSat's measurements. The results of these observations and comparisons are then shared with the public to better improve the collective understanding of clouds and global climate change while exapnding the base of scientifically literate citizens.

GLOBE community members can participate in the CloudSat mission through: 

• Collecting GLOBE data using the GLOBE Cloud Protocols
• Joining the CloudSat Education Network
• Connecting with CloudSat on social media:
  • Facebook
  • X (Formerly Twitter)