🚀 Earth's Future: Missions & Climate Change 🌎
Science
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On 5 February, NASA announced the selection of two satellite missions through the Earth System Explorers Program, each funded at $355 million. Scientists’ lobbying efforts contributed to the approval of a $7.25 billion budget for NASA’s science programs, a significant increase compared to the White House’s initial request. The Earth Dynamics Geodetic Explorer (EDGE) will map the planet’s elevation with centimeter-level accuracy, while the Stratosphere Troposphere Response using Infrared Vertically-resolved light Explorer (STRIVE) will investigate the upper atmosphere. STRIVE’s data collection capabilities, anticipated to surpass two decades’ worth of data from the Aura satellite within two months, promise improved long-term weather forecasts. Both missions focus on critical areas – ice dynamics and atmospheric processes – representing vital advancements in understanding climate change and its impact on the planet.
EARTH DYNAMICS EXPLORER (EDGE)
The selection of the Earth Dynamics Geodetic Explorer (EDGE) represents a significant advancement in our ability to monitor Earth’s surface changes. This mission, funded at $355 million, will precisely map the planet’s ice and land elevation, achieving an accuracy of just 3 centimeters on flat ground. Utilizing a laser instrument, the satellite will measure height across five 120-meter strips, enabling it to cover nearly all of the planet’s surface with greater efficiency than current orbital instruments. This detailed mapping capability will be instrumental in tracking a wide range of phenomena, including crop growth and harvesting, sea ice and ice sheet thickness, and forest canopy changes following wildfires. Researchers anticipate leveraging this data to refine climate models and improve predictions regarding sea level rise, a critical concern given the ongoing impacts of a warming climate. As geoscientist Richard Alley stated, “There is so much you can do once you can tell if [the surface] is going up or down,” highlighting the transformative potential of this mission.
STRATOSPHERE TROPOSHERE RESPONSE USING INFRARED VERTICALLY-RESOLVED LIGHT EXPLORER (STRIVE)
The Stratosphere Troposphere Response using Infrared Vertically-resolved light Explorer (STRIVE) mission focuses on the critical upper atmosphere, spanning altitudes between 5 and 50 kilometers. This region, encompassing the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, plays a crucial role in global weather patterns, pollution dispersion, and ozone layer dynamics. Principal Investigator Lyatt Jaeglé emphasizes the significant gap in our observational capabilities in this area, describing it as “one of the biggest blind spots in our global observing system.” STRIVE’s innovative design – a sidelong view through the atmospheric limb – will enable the collection of vertical profiles of temperature and chemistry using an infrared sensor. This technology promises to deliver far more detailed data than existing instruments, such as NASA’s Aura satellite, which has accumulated two decades of data with a far less granular resolution. Jaeglé compares the anticipated improvement to “the difference between a blurry CT scan and a high-resolution MRI,” underscoring the potential for STRIVE to dramatically enhance long-term weather forecasts. The stratosphere’s “memory,” its ability to influence weather patterns over weeks to months, further highlights the strategic importance of this mission.
MISSION TIMELINES AND SIGNIFICANCE
Both the EDGE and STRIVE missions are scheduled for launch, with EDGE anticipated to launch before 2027, followed by STRIVE’s launch sometime after 2030. The selection of these missions was driven by persistent lobbying efforts from scientists, who recognized the need to maintain research funding despite proposed budget cuts. Congress ultimately approved a $7.25 billion budget for NASA’s science programs, a 1.1% reduction from the previous year, a substantial improvement compared to the initially requested 47% cut. As atmospheric chemist Ross Salawitch noted, “I’m overwhelmed with happiness that these missions are going forward.” The combined capabilities of these two missions represent a powerful new set of eyes on Earth, poised to deliver unprecedented insights into our planet’s complex systems and contribute significantly to our understanding of climate change and weather patterns.
This article is AI-synthesized from public sources and may not reflect original reporting.