Science
SCISAT-1 / ACE
Catalogued as SCISAT 1
Atmospheric Chemistry · Canadian Space Agency
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Canada's atmospheric chemistry satellite, designed to understand why ozone is disappearing faster at polar latitudes than anywhere else on Earth. SCISAT uses a technique called solar occultation — watching sunlight pass through the atmosphere as it rises and sets — to measure over 60 different trace gases in a single measurement. It has been mapping the recovery of the ozone layer since 2003, well beyond its planned two-year life.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Low Earth Orbitcan appear as a fast-moving star at dawn or dusk
- Altitude
- 388–394 mi (624–634 km)
- Inclination
- 73.9°
- One orbit
- 97.1 minutes14.8 orbits a day
- NORAD ID
- 27858
- Int’l designator
- 2003-036A
- Launched
- 2003
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 22 Sep 2026.
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