The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) IV Pathfinder

Atmospheric aerosols and ozone are designated as observing system priorities in the 2017 Decadal Survey Report. Accurate records of stratospheric aerosols are a vital piece of the puzzle regarding climate change. Stratospheric ozone has been the subject of observation and research for decades. Its importance is exhibited in the Clean Air Act, which mandates that NASA monitor atmospheric ozone. Satellites observed the initial decline of ozone in the late 1970s and early 1980s and supported the adoption of the Montreal Protocol. Current observations hint at a potential recovery. Adequate determination of that recovery requires continuous and, in the case of multiple instruments, overlapping data records. With SAGE III ISS currently entering its third year on orbit, and with most other current ozone monitoring orbital systems well beyond their expected lifetimes, we look towards the future of satellite observations of stratospheric ozone and aerosols to develop the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) IV Pathfinder. Enabled by the Instrument Incubator Program and now in Project Year 3, the SAGE IV Pathfinder team is developing and validating a technology demonstration that will pave the way for a future SAGE IV spaceflight mission. Current technological advancements allow SAGE IV to fit within a CubeSat framework and make use of commercial hardware, significantly reducing the size and cost when compared to traditional missions and enabling sustainability of future measurements. SAGE IV will meet the definition of the newly-recommended Venture-Continuity missions by "bringing forward innovative approaches to sustain measurements at lower costs."