The new EarthCARE satellite will unlock the mysteries of clouds
Despite playing a vital role in the world's climate very little is truly known about clouds and how they influence the global climate.
Key takeaways
- Get the full scoop EarthCARE, a joint venture between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), will launch in two weeks time.
- The fact that 2024 is the Japanese Year of the Dragon (tatsu-doshi), provides an additional layer of auspiciousness.
- The satellite will be launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2024) 'The new EarthCARE satellite will unlock the mysteries of clouds', 311 Institute, 25 May. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/the-new-earthcare-satellite-will-unlock-the-mysteries-of-clouds/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Clouds. They’re not very well understood. EarthCARE, a soon-to-launch satellite, will use advanced tech to unlock their mysteries, giving scientists a better understanding of the mysterious weather phenomenon so they can produce more accurate climate forecasts.
Scientists know how clouds form, but not the complex relationship that exists between clouds and the aerosols needed to form them. EarthCARE, which stands for Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer, is set to provide some answers.
Get the full scoop
EarthCARE, a joint venture between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), will launch in two weeks time. It will use a suite of cutting-edge instruments, such as LIDAR and radar, to better understand the role clouds play in heating and cooling Earth’s atmosphere.
The video above provides an easy-to-understand explanation of how clouds impact our climate and the technology that EarthCARE will use to collect data.
In keeping with the Japanese tradition of nicknaming satellites, JAXA has chosen ‘Hakuryu,’ meaning ‘White Dragon,’ a reflection of EarthCARE’s white body and tail-like solar panel. The fact that 2024 is the Japanese Year of the Dragon (tatsu-doshi), provides an additional layer of auspiciousness.
Scientists will use EarthCARE’s data to study the relationship between clouds, aerosols, and radiation and produce more accurate climate models and forecasts.
The satellite will be launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
Source: ESA
What this means for your organisation
Clouds are a blind spot.
Scientists still do not fully understand how clouds and aerosols interact. That adds uncertainty to climate models. Leaders should know how much uncertainty sits in the forecasts they use.
Better data, better forecasts.
New measurements should make climate projections more accurate. That improves planning for heat, rain and storms. Risk teams should update models as new data arrives.
International science pays off.
European and Japanese agencies share the mission. Pooled resources deliver what one nation might not. Firms should look for ways to use open science data.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- How much climate uncertainty do our plans assume?
- Do we update risk models when better data arrives?
- Could open satellite data improve our decisions?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Despite playing a vital role in the world's climate very little is truly known about clouds and how they influence the global climate.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity programme, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- EarthCARE esa.int
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 25 May 2024. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2024). The new EarthCARE satellite will unlock the mysteries of clouds. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/the-new-earthcare-satellite-will-unlock-the-mysteries-of-clouds/
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