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| Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-1 | |
|---|---|
| Name | Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-1 |
| Acronym | ATLAS-1 |
| Operator | NASA |
| Spacecraft | Space Shuttle Columbia |
| Launch | 1992-03-24 |
| Landing | 1992-04-02 |
| Mission duration | 9 days |
| Orbit | Low Earth orbit |
Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-1 The Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-1 was a NASA-sponsored spaceborne observatory carried on a Space Shuttle mission that conducted multispectral investigations of Earth's atmosphere and solar irradiance. The project integrated collaboration among the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, European Space Agency, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, and multiple university and industry partners to study atmospheric chemistry, radiation, and dynamics. ATLAS-1 flew aboard a Space Shuttle orbiter and operated instruments developed by teams from the University of Colorado Boulder, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, and other institutions.
ATLAS-1 originated from programmatic planning in the late 1970s and 1980s within NASA and related agencies that produced coordinated flight campaigns such as the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite program and the International Solar-Terrestrial Physics initiative. Instrument concepts were matured at laboratories including Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Lockheed Martin, Ball Aerospace, and research groups at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, and University of California, Berkeley. Management and integration involved stakeholders from the Johnson Space Center, Ames Research Center, and the Goddard Space Flight Center with contributions from national programs such as NOAA, National Science Foundation, and international partners like CNES and UK Science and Engineering Research Council. Design reviews referenced heritage from missions including Skylab, STS-1, and the Long Duration Exposure Facility to ensure compatibility with Space Shuttle Columbia systems.
Primary objectives focused on quantifying solar spectral irradiance variability, characterizing stratospheric and mesospheric composition, and investigating radiation balance processes that influence climate forcing and ozone chemistry. The science plan aligned with research priorities set by panels convened by National Research Council committees and coordinated with observational networks such as Global Atmospheric Research Program and field programs like Mauna Loa Observatory campaigns. Goals included cross-calibration with the Solar Maximum Mission instruments, validation against ground-based networks including NOAA Mauna Loa Observatory, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics spectrophotometers, and synergy with satellite projects like UARS and ERS-1.
ATLAS-1 was manifested on STS-45 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia following mission scheduling influenced by Challenger disaster programmatic changes and safety reviews overseen by Office of Chief Scientist (NASA). Launch operations were coordinated at Kennedy Space Center with integration activities at the Palmdale Plant and payload processing in the Orbiter Processing Facility. Flight operations included mission control support from Mission Control Center (Houston) and in-orbit coordination with the European Space Operations Centre for instrument commanding. The payload utilized the Spacelab and pallet accommodations and followed timelines derived from crew training at Johnson Space Center and simulations run at Lockheed Martin Mission Simulator facilities.
The ATLAS-1 payload comprised spectrometers, radiometers, and in situ samplers developed by institutions such as University of Colorado Boulder, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, and Laboratoire de Physique Atmosphérique. Key instruments included ultraviolet and visible spectrometers for solar irradiance studies, infrared radiometers for thermal profiling, and mass spectrometers for trace gas analysis; teams from Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, NOAA, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory provided calibration and data-processing algorithms. Experiments integrated heritage from the Solar Mesosphere Explorer and drew on detector technologies developed at Raytheon, PerkinElmer, and university laboratories at University of Oxford and Imperial College London.
ATLAS-1 produced high-precision solar spectral irradiance data that improved radiative transfer models used by groups at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, National Center for Atmospheric Research, and NOAA. Measurements of stratospheric ozone and trace constituents informed chemistry-climate studies published by researchers affiliated with Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Cross-calibration efforts aided continuity between missions such as UARS, SORCE, and later Aqua, benefiting climate assessments by panels including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Results influenced instrument design choices for follow-on platforms developed by European Space Agency, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt, and commercial partners including Ball Aerospace.
The ATLAS-1 mission was crewed by an international team drawn from NASA astronaut corps and mission specialists trained at Johnson Space Center. The flight manifested a launch from Kennedy Space Center and landed at a Shuttle runway following nine days in low Earth orbit, with mission timelines coordinated by the Mission Operations Directorate and payload scientists at the Goddard Space Flight Center. Crew activities included instrument operation timelines established during training at Space Vehicle Mockup Facility and science briefings involving representatives from National Science Foundation and collaborating universities.
Category:NASA missions Category:Space Shuttle payloads