SME
Solar Mesosphere Explorer
Investigated ozone in the mesosphere
The SME was an Earth-orbiting spacecraft designed to investigate the processes that create and destroy the ozone in the mesosphere, the most upper layer of Earth’s atmosphere. SME launched on October 1st, 1981 and returned data until April 4, 1989. Nearly a year later, SME reentered Earth’s atmosphere.
Mission Class:
Larger Missions
Mission Status:
Past
LASP Roles:
Research, Instruments, Data, Mission Operations, Lead Institute
Science Target:
Earth's Atmosphere
Mission Focus:
Earth's Atmosphere, Mesosphere, Solar Physics
Primary Mission Site:
Mission Quick Facts
Research
LASP Instruments
Mission Operations
Mission Data
Image Gallery
LASP Leads
Team
Launch Date: October 6, 1981
Decommission Date: April 4, 1989
Mission duration: 7 1/2 years
Lead Institution: LASP
Lead Funding Agency: NASA
Partners: NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.
