Nimbus 7

Launched on October 24, 1978, Nimbus 7 was the final satellite in NASA’s Nimbus meteorological research series. Its eight experiments connected atmospheric chemistry, ocean color, microwave observation and Earth’s energy budget. SBUV/TOMS measured ozone, CZCS observed coastal-zone and ocean color, and SMMR measured microwave emission. Limb infrared and stratospheric aerosol instruments supplied atmospheric composition information, complemented by Earth Radiation Budget and temperature-humidity radiometers. The instruments produced distinct environmental records with different operating periods, so the spacecraft’s overall mission span should not be assumed to describe every individual data product.