In 2006, NASA and French Space Agency CNES launched a satellite in a joint mission to probe the properties of Earth's thin clouds and aerosols

In 2006, NASA and French Space Agency CNES launched a satellite in a joint mission to probe the properties of Earth's thin clouds and aerosols. CALIPSO studied clouds and airborne particles from orbit. Its data helped scientists understand climate, weather and air quality, while its observations improved atmospheric models and satellite weather measurements.