NASA announced four new mission proposals to study the effects of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere, ocean current levels, icebergs and glacier patterns, and other Earth science areas. They are part of the Earth System Explorers Program, which investigates planet issues from space.
Each proposal will receive $5 million for a one-year concept study. NASA will choose two proposals to continue to fund. Full launch dates are expected sometime in the next decade. Each mission is capped at $310 million, excluding rockets and space access, which NASA will provide.
The Stratosphere Troposphere Response Using Infrared Vertically-Resolved Light Explorer (STRIVE)
STRIVE is a near-global high-resolution temperature monitoring satellite. Its goal is to see how changes in temperature, aerosol properties, ozone layer profiles, and trace gases needed to recover lost ozone affect the upper troposphere and mesosphere. Lyatt Jaegle of the University of Washington will lead this effort.
The Ocean Dynamics and Surface Exchange with the Atmosphere (ODYSEA)
This mission will measure ocean surface currents and winds to understand air-sea interactions. It will also study how surface current processes impact weather, climate, marine life, and human wellness.
The goal is to provide the most current ocean wind data in under three hours and current data in under six hours.
University of California San Diego’s (UCSD) Sarah Gille is the mind behind this one.
Photo Courtesy NASA
Earth Dynamics Geodetic Explorer (EDGE)
EDGE is another UCSD project led by Helen Amanda Fricker. The mission will monitor glacial topography, ice sheets, sea ice, and terrestrial ecosystems’ response to climate change and human activity. Data will be collected by the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite 2 (ICESat-2) and Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI).
GEDI is a joint mission between NASA and the University of Maryland, which uses laser measurements to help build 3D models of various ecosystems. ICESat-2 uses similar applications to measure the Earth’s surfaces.
Photo Courtesy NASA
The Carbon Investigation (Carbon-I)
This mission will study GHGs and the quantity of ethane, a product of natural gas and petroleum burning. The goal is to figure out natural and anthropogenic emissions to help understand the carbon cycle and global methane count. Christian Frankenberg of the California Institute of Technology leads this project.
NASA’s role in understanding climate change is not talked about enough. Its satellites have provided invaluable maritime commerce, agriculture, and GHG monitoring information.
The agency has provided more than six decades of Earth observations, giving scientists a better conception of the true state of the planet’s health.
The space agency can watch receding polar ice caps and rainforest deforestation in real time. While it may not have the perfect solution, the visibility and transparency of its findings spur climate action for the appropriate parties.
“The proposals represent another example of NASA’s holistic approach to studying our home planet,” Nicky Fox, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate, said in a news release. “As we continue to confront our changing climate and its impacts on humans and our environment, the need for data and scientific research could not be greater. These proposals will help us better prepare for the challenges we face today and tomorrow.”
