About Aqua

Aqua spacecraft with sea ice image

 
Spacecraft Stats
Orbit: Sun synchronous, near polar orbit
Equatorial crossing: 1:30 p.m. ascending node
Inclination: 98.2°
Altitude: 705 km
Period: 98.8 minutes
Semi-major axis: 7085 km
Eccentricity: 0.0015
  
Launch Statistics
Vehicle: Two-stage Delta II 7920-10L with 9 strap-on solid rocket motors and 10 foot, bisector, composite fairing
Site: SLC-2W, Western Range, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California
Launch date: May 4, 2002 @ 2:55 a.m. PDT
  
Vital Statistics
Weight (at launch): 2,934 kg (6,468 pounds)
Power: 4,860 watts end of life
Size (stowed): 2.7 m (8.8 ft) x 2.5 m (8.2 ft) x 6.5 m (21.3 ft)
Size (deployed): 4.8 m (15.8 ft) x 16.7 m (54.8 ft) x 8 m (26.4 ft)
Mission design life: 6 years