The Afternoon Constellation, Where Sharing Innovation is the Key to Mission Longevity

Flying in the Afternoon Constellation (A-Train) has provided a unique opportunity to share experiences across continents for many years. The original goal of the A-Train, to fly several instruments in formation to provide complimentary, near-simultaneous observational data, has required the operations teams to overcome many unanticipated challenges. In fact, the biggest challenge has not been to coordinate teams or the spacecraft, but to ensure longevity and continuity of measurements. To achieve this goal, the ATrain community had to invent and re-invent common processes to face each new challenge.