Terra Program

Terra is NASA’s active Earth Observing System flagship program, launched on 18 December 1999 to study how Earth’s atmosphere, land, oceans, snow and ice, and radiant energy interact. Its five instruments—ASTER, CERES, MISR, MODIS, and MOPITT—provide coordinated global observations for climate and Earth-system research, natural-hazard response, and understanding human impacts. NASA identifies Terra as an international mission carrying instruments from the United States, Japan, and Canada.