One of the greatest challenges for science in the twenty-first century is understanding the interaction between the Sunís energy and Earth's atmosphere and surface. Solar energy drives Earth's climate, producing atmospheric storms and ocean currents, melting ice and snow, and nourishing vegetation. Sunlight interacts with the environment in a multitude of ways to define the climate. Understanding and modeling these major interactions is a primary goal of climate research.

Triana, a mission led by Francisco P. J. Valero at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, will be the first deep-space climate satellite. With three scientific instruments taking a broad set of measurements beginning in 2001, Triana will be a pathfinder in the continued quest to understand the world. Named for Rodrigo de Triana, the sailor on Columbus' voyage who first saw the New World, the satellite will have a permanent view of the sunlit side of Earth from a stable vantage point 1.5 million kilometers away.

The information that Triana will collect about Earth's climate system will assist researchers in subjects as diverse as atmospheric dynamics, cloud physics, ozone, aerosols, radiation, and surface remote sensing. Triana's measurements of infrared radiation emitted by Earth will be used to monitor global warming and climate variability. Measurements of the solar wind, magnetic fields, and plasma will advance research on space weather and plasma physics, and will provide early warnings of solar events that may pose threats to Earth satellites.

On the educational front, Triana's views of Earth and the details of its atmosphere and surface will be available to schools and the general public. Triana will support new and innovative inquiry-based learning, and will increase student awareness and understanding of environmental and social issues by providing access to data and exposing their minds to the intellectual challenges of science.