On July 12, 2002, Aqua began broadcasting all of its instrument data (AIRS/AMSU-A/HSB, AMSR-E, CERES, and MODIS) on X-Band. With more extensive filtering capability on its transponder, Aqua is broadcasting almost all the time except during the ground contact time over the Poker Flat, Alaska, and Svalbard, Norway. Interruption lasts about 5 minutes, once per orbit. [Aqua's sister satellite, Terra, began broadcasting selected portions of MODIS instrument data on X-Band on March 17, 2000. The broadcast is continuous with following exceptions: 1. During the time Aqua is dumping its play-back data which lasts about 15 minutes, once per orbit; 2. When the spacecraft is in the line-of-sight of NASA Deep Space Stations (Goldstone, Canberra, and Madrid)].
Anyone interested in obtaining direct broadcast data or establishing a downlink site should refer to the EOS Direct Readout Laboratory.