ESA builds 3D wind-mapping satellite 'Aeolus'
The European Space Agency (ESA) has completed assembling the Aeolus, a satellite which will be launched next year for 3D mapping of winds in the atmosphere. It carries a giant laser called 'Aladin', which will UV-scan the Earth's atmosphere to measure wind speed and direction, and create a 3D wind map from the surface to a height of 30 km.