Accurate monitoring of terrestrial aerosols and total solar irradiance: the NASA Glory mission

Current uncertainties in the total solar irradiance (TSI) and aerosol radiative forcings of climate are so large that they limit quantitative evaluation of climate models against global temperature change. Reducing these uncertainties is the objective of the NASA Glory mission scheduled for launch in November 2010 as part of the NASA A-Train. Glory is intended to meet the following scientific objectives: Improve the quantification of solar variability by continuing the uninterrupted 32-year satellite measurement record of TSI, facilitate the quantification of the aerosol direct and indirect forcings of climate, and provide better aerosol representations for use by other operational satellite instruments.