This brochure describes the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder.
AIRS enhances the quality of global meteorological observations which yields considerable economic benefits through more reliable climate prediction, improved weather forecasts, better understanding of the factors influencing air quality, and mitigation of the economic and human costs of natural hazards.

Terra, launched in December 1999, and Aqua, planned for launch in 2001, are two main Earth Observing System (EOS) observatories that will use multiple instruments to acquire the necessary data with the required high precision and accuracy.