The Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere Mission

The Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM) Mission is the first detailed exploration of Earth's Polar Mesospheric Clouds (PMCs). AIM was selected from NASA's 1999 Small Explorer (SMEX) Announcement of Opportunity to accomplish the first detailed observations of these clouds to aid our understanding of how and why they form. Polar Mesospheric Clouds form during the polar summers. These clouds have been growing brighter, are being observed in increasing quantity, and are being seen at lower latitudes. Some scientists have suggested that the changes may be the direct result of human-induced climate change. This overview paper discusses the AIM mission and its focus. It presents an historical perspective, including a review of challenges that faced the AIM team, their successes and their accomplishments during the mission development and early on-orbit operations.