What is the benefit of SOVA?
The scientific goal of the SOVA mission is to study processes in the middle and upper atmosphere (60 - 300km) on a global scale, that need to be understood for better climate prediction.
The primary mission objective is to gain an improved understanding of processes in the atmosphere that will lead to more precise climate models that will improve forecast of extreme weather such as heavy rain or storms affecting agriculture, floodings and soil erosion as well as forecasts of turbulences for aviation.
The secondary mission objective is to gain an improved understanding of extreme radiation environments for future manned missions to Moon and Mars.
What will be measured?
The global climate is driven by so called Gravity Waves. These (air) waves transport an immense amount of energy from the lower atmosphere to the upper atmosphere where they break up and travel great distances, just like ocean waves, but on a larger scale. In addition SOVA will measure the radiation field in its orbit.
Who is behind SOVA?
The SOVA mission is proudly lead by OHB Czechspace located in Brno, Czech Republic.
The science team is led by the Principal Investigator of the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The team is supported by the German Space Agency DLR, the Research Centre Jülich from Germany and the Nuclear Physics Institute of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
The main optical instrument is developed OHB Czechspace in cooperation with the Czech company Meopta and OHB System.
SOVA mission is funded through an ESA Contract in the Czech Third Party Framework Project. The view expressed can in no way be taken to reflect the offcicial opinion of the European Space Aggency and the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic.