Local media are invited to a nighttime demonstration of NASA's newest laser instrument that will launch into Earth’s orbit next week for a three-year mission.

Interested media can find out more about the CALIPSO (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations) spacecraft and see a similar, ground-based lidar laser shoot into the night sky on Thursday, April 13.

NASA Langley Research Center's CALIPSO satellite is set to launch aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket April 21, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. The NASA Langley-designed lidar laser technology will help scientists better understand clouds and aerosols.

Media interested in attending should contact the News Media Office at 864-6300 or Chris Rink at 344-7711 (cell) and plan to be at NASA Langley's main gate no later than 7:45 p.m. this Thursday.

CALIPSO launches with another NASA satellite, CloudSat. Together they will provide new perspectives on Earth's clouds and aerosols. The satellites will answer questions about how they form, evolve, affect water supply, climate, weather and air quality. When launched into orbit, they will fly just 15 seconds apart as members of NASA's "A-Train," a constellation of several Earth-observing satellites.

NASA Langley is leading the CALIPSO mission. Hampton University is providing scientific contributions and managing the outreach program.

For more information on CALIPSO on the Internet, please visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/calipso

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