The European Space Agency has officially tapped Airbus Defence and Space to build the sequel to its wind-monitoring satellite, because apparently, knowing which way the wind blows is still a priority.
ESA announced July 2 that it authorized Airbus to begin work on the Aeolus-2 satellite, funding the initial phases with a contract worth 51 million euros ($58.3 million), according to an Airbus spokesperson. That's a decent chunk of change for a satellite that will essentially be a very expensive weather vane.
Aeolus-2 is the successor to Aeolus, a satellite launched in 2018 to demonstrate the ability of a lidar instrument to collect global wind profiles. The original spacecraft operated for nearly five years before reentering in 2023, having proven that yes, you can measure wind from space. In 2022, based on that success, ESA member states approved a follow-on mission originally scheduled to launch at the end of the decade with two satellites. Now, ESA says it's targeting a 2034 launch for Aeolus-2 and has discussed only a single satellite - perhaps due to budget constraints or a newfound appreciation for doing less with less.
Aeolus-2 will fly an updated version of the lidar instrument based on both the one flown on the original Aeolus and versions on EarthCARE, an ESA Earth science mission launched in 2024. The lidar for the original Aeolus was a challenge to develop, but its performance exceeded expectations - a rare win for space-based technology. The new instrument will collect wind profile data from the surface to an altitude of 30 kilometers every hundredth of a second, with full global coverage every seven days. Because nothing says "we've got this" like measuring wind at 100 measurements per second. Aeolus-2 will also carry an additional instrument to measure atmospheric aerosols, because why not add more data to the mix?
“Building on the lidar heritage of both Aeolus and EarthCARE, Aeolus-2 will carry two lasers, each twice as powerful as Aeolus’s, with an upgraded and more robust instrument design capable of reliably delivering the high-quality wind data that operational meteorological services require,” said Ben Boyes, project manager for Aeolus-2 at ESA, in a statement. That's right: twice the lasers, twice the power, and presumably twice the chances of accidentally blinding someone on the ground.
ESA will work with Eumetsat, the European weather satellite agency, on Aeolus-2. Eumetsat plans to use Aeolus-2 as an operational mission, incorporating its data into forecast models. “This next-generation mission will ensure that global wind observations become a permanent component of the weather forecasting infrastructure, helping societies around the world prepare for increasingly complex weather and climate-related challenges,” Boyes said. In other words, your weather app will get even more accurate, though it will still probably say "chance of rain" when it's sunny.
Airbus, which was also the prime contractor for the original Aeolus, will build Aeolus-2 at its facilities in the United Kingdom. “Aeolus-2 will deliver real benefits for people across the U.K., from more accurate weather forecasts that protect lives and communities, to the highly skilled jobs that come from being a key partner in Europe’s most ambitious space science programs,” said Liz Lloyd, the U.K. space minister, in a statement. Because nothing says "benefits" like waiting until 2034 for a wind satellite.
So mark your calendars for 2034, when Aeolus-2 will finally launch and give us even more ways to complain about the weather.