 | |
| Mission type | Earth observing satellite |
|---|---|
| Operator | ESA |
| Website | https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/FORUM |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Airbus |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 2027 (planned)[1] |
| Launch site | Kourou |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Sun-synchronous |
FORUM (Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring) is a EuropeanEarth observing satellite that is scheduled to launch in 2027.[2]
The FORUM mission is led by theEuropean Space Agency (ESA) and has as its main goal the study of theEarth's radiation budget. It is expected that FORUM's measurements will be improvingclimate models and offer new insights into the wayclimate change is affecting the planet. The mission is expected to cost a maximum of 260 million euros.[3][4]
The main scientific purpose of FORUM is to better understand theEarth's radiation budget - the balance between the incoming radiation mostly from the Sun at short wavelengths, and outgoing radiation, which is a combination of reflected radiation from the Sun and radiation emitted by the Earth system, much of it a longer wavelengths - and the way this exchange is affected by the changes in the Earth's atmosphere caused by human activity.
FORUM will especially be measuring the long-wavelength outgoing energy, which is strongly influenced by water vapour and thinice clouds in the Earth's atmosphere. According to available data, about 50 percent of the total energy emitted by the Earth is in this long-wavelength range, but these emissions were not monitored in detail from space until now.[5][6][7]
These insights will offer a better understanding of the climatic changes taking place on Earth and improve climate predictions. According to ESA, the FORUM mission was selected over SKIM specifically because it promises to "fill in a critical missing piece of the climate jigsaw".[8]