AIRS is the acronym for the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder, an instrument onboard NASA's Aqua spacecraft that launched on May 4, 2002.

AIRS is circling the globe 14.6 times per day in a 705 kilometer high polar orbit. It has begun gathering data about our atmosphere - data that will aid in weather forecasting, climate modeling, and greenhouse gas studies.

This web site contains information pertaining to the technical aspects of the AIRS instrument, data system and science.

For more information about the AIRS mission and instrument, including photos and animations, please see the AIRS Public Web Site.