Raytheon has completed integration, baseline performance characterization, and vibration testing of a space-based sensor intended to help NASA scientists better understand the effect of aerosols on global warming and climate change.

The Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor will conduct a three-year climate monitoring mission from NASA's Glory satellite. With 161 optical elements, including six precision-aligned telescopes, the sensor is designed to distinguish and characterize various aerosols and accurately measure their global distribution and lifetime.

"This is an extremely important mission for the entire world," said Brian Arnold, vice president for Raytheon's Space Systems group. "We look forward to contributing to the scientific community's understanding of agents that may be related to climate change."

The device will next undergo electromagnetic interference and thermal vacuum testing to confirm its performance in space-like conditions. Raytheon expects to complete the environmental tests in time to deliver the sensor in the first quarter of 2009.