Official name PARASOL
Alternative name Parasol
Cospar ID 2004-049G
Norad ID 28498
Launch date 2004-12-18
Launch site FRGUI
Launch vehicle Ariane-5G+
Country/Organization France
Type application Science
Operator CNES
RCS size MEDIUM
Decay date ON ORBIT
Period (min) 97.87
Inclination (deg) 98.44
Perigee (km) 647
Apogee (km) 667
Eccentricity 0.015220700152207
Mean motion (revs. per day) 14.7133953203229
Semi-Major axis (km) 7035.135
Raan (deg) 272.4499
Arg of perigee (deg) 310.3639
Shape Box + 1 Pan
Mass (kg) 110
Height (m) 0.6
Width (m) 0.6
Depth (m) 0.6
Span (m^2) 1
Contractors CNES
Equipment POLDER
Configuration Myriade
Power Deployable solar array, batteries

PARASOL (Polarization and Anisotropy of Reflectances for Atmospheric Science coupled with Observations from a LIDAR) is a CNES microsatellite project. This microsatellite will mainly be an instrument derived from POLDER. Its main purpose is to improve the characterization of the clouds and aerosols microphysical and radiative properties, needed to understand and model the radiative impact of clouds and aerosols. 

Satellite COSPAR Date LS Launch Vehicle Remarks
PARASOL 2004-049G 2004-12-18 FRGUI Ariane-5G+ with Helios 2A, Essaim 1, Essaim 2, Essaim 3, Essaim 4, Nanosat 01