Recently launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, CALIPSO will help improve scientists’ understanding of hurricanes, temperatures, and the global climate. With nearly a decade’s worth of preparation for the mission, Dr. M. Patrick McCormick, co-director of HU’s Center for Atmospheric Sciences and co-principal investigator for the project, stated, “The data from CALIPSO will provide the science community with key parts to the puzzle on how our global climate changes.” By emitting laser light pulses into the atmosphere below the satellite as it orbits Earth, CALIPSO ‘paints’ a worldwide picture of the vertical extent of clouds and aerosols. This provides information necessary to accurately predict future climate. Another satellite launched at the same time, CloudSAT, will complement CALIPSO’s data by using radar pulses- instead of laser pulses- to provide the vertical profile of thick clouds. The data gathered will be relayed to Hampton University from NASA Langley Research Center. At HU, faculty and students will perform validation and scientific studies. Their aim is to validate the usefulness of the data gathered by CALIPSO. Dr. McCormick noted, “It’s a mission that will ultimately increase our knowledge of the earth’s climate…The data from CALIPSO will provide the science community with key parts to the puzzle on how our global climate changes.” In addition, Hampton University leads the CALIPSO Outreach Program, which educates students, teachers, and the public on the goal and usefulness of CALIPSO and other NASA programs.