Depth soundings, water temperature studies, water samples, studies of marine life and atmospheric observations were conducted.

A balloon could also be anchored to stay in one place to make atmospheric observations.

Major improvements were later implemented in atmospheric observation, relevant computer models, and the training of forecasters.

Until World War II, the observatory specialised in solar and atmospheric observations.

"It would be very interesting scientifically to pin down the contemporary rate, as you could do from atmospheric observations."

Other atmospheric observations included a swirling dark oval of high atmospheric-haze, about the size of the Great Red Spot, near Jupiter's north pole.

The nine ARGOS payloads, addressing more than 30 research objectives, conducted upper atmospheric observations and technology demonstrations.

The pilots will be required to maneuver the shuttle more than 180 times to point the instruments in the cargo bay for the various solar and atmospheric observations.

The site was first used by the Smithsonian Institution in 1924, which conducted atmospheric, solar, and astronomical observations for many years.

The infrastructure will integrate terrestrial and atmospheric observations at various sites into a single, coherent, highly precise dataset.