Aeolus Satellite to map Earth's winds and improve weather forecast launched successfully

Aeolus Satellite, the European Space Agency's (ESA) Earth Explorer, which is expected to help map the earth's winds and improve weather forecasting by measuring the winds around the globe, was launched successfully early Thursday.

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The latest and the fifth satellite from the stable of ESA's Earth Explorer was placed into polar orbit on a Vega rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana on Thursday at 2.50 am IST.

1. Aeolus is an Earth observation satellite to study the winds in the earth's atmosphere.
2. Aeolus is also called the Atmospheric Dynamics Mission Aeolus.
3. Aeolus is named after the ancient Greek character Aeolus - the Keeper of the Winds.
4. Aeolus was conceptualised and built by Airbus Defence and Space
5. Aeolus mission is to help understand the working of the earth's atmosphere better with the help of the revolutionary laser technology.
6. In Greek mythology, Aeolus, meaning "quick moving" was appointed ‘keeper of the winds’.

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According to history, Aeolus is a name shared by three mythical characters - The first Aeolus was a son of Helen, the second was a son of Poseidon, and the third Aeolus was a son of Hippotes who is mentioned in Odyssey and the Aeneid as the Keeper of the Winds.

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