Fig 1.3.2.2.4.1.1: Overview of the orbit of the ENVISAT satellite carrying SCIAMACHY.

The SCIAMACHY (Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric CHartographY) instrument is carried aboard the ENVISAT satellite.

ENVISAT is in a retrograde, sun-synchronous polar orbit about 800 km above the surface of the Earth.

A complete orbit takes ~100 minutes and passes through a sunlit, dayside zone (travelling north to south) and a dark, nightside zone (travelling south to north.