"NASA is about to launch an Earth-observing satellite with new technology onboard designed to broaden our understanding of how the Sun and tiny atmospheric particles called aerosols affect Earth's climate. Aerosols represent one of the greatest areas of uncertainty in understanding Earth's climate system.

'Glory is going to help scientists tackle one of the major uncertainties in climate change predictions identified by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: the influence of aerosols on the energy balance of our planet,' said Michael Freilich, director of NASA's Earth Science Division in the Science Mission Directorate at the agency's headquarters in Washington."

Environment News Service had the story January 20, 2011. [2]