NASA Announces Four Earth Science Missions in 2022 That Will Monitor the Changing Planet

NASA is planning to launch four Earth science missions next year in which two of which will be led by the space agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. JPL said in a press release that the missions would provide scientists with more information about climate systems and processes, like extreme storms, surface water, and oceans, as well as atmospheric dust.

Scientists will discuss the upcoming missions during the American Geophysical Union's (AGU) 2021 Fall Meeting held on December 13 to 17.

NASA's Four Earth Science Missions

Space agencies, such as NASA, which has a fleet of Earth-observing satellites, have a unique view of Earth from space. These satellites provide high-quality data on the interconnected environment of the planet, ranging from the air quality, the icy poles, oceans, and the land.

Next year, the American space agency will be sending four Earth science missions that will enhance their ability to monitor the changing planet. These missions include the following:

TROPICS

The Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats (TROPICS) will use six small satellites to provide enhanced and rapid measurements of tropical cyclones every 50 minutes. Scientists can use the data from the satellite to understand factors driving the intensity of tropical cyclones and will help improve weather forecasting models.

Researchers lead this project from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and several universities.

EMIT

Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) is designed to trace the origin and composition of mineral dust that affects air quality, ecosystem, climate, and human health. It will also use the imaging spectrometer aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

JPSS-2

NOAA's Joint Polar Satellite System-2 (JPSS-2) provides measurements of temperature and moisture in the atmosphere, as well as the temperature of the ocean surface. It will also help scientists predict floods, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, smog, dust storms, and the melting of sea ice.

SWOT

The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission will evaluate the oceans and their role in climate change. More so, it will monitor the conditions of lakes, rivers, and other surface waters.

NASA's Earth Observing System Project

The four Earth science missions launched next year are an addition to the fleet of satellites already in space monitoring the planet. One of the existing projects is NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS), a coordinated series of polar-orbiting and low inclination satellites that will conduct long-term global observations of the planet.

The Earth Science Division under the Science Mission Directorate of NASA controls the EOS that provides an improved understanding of the planet as an integrated system. According to the European Space Agency, the EOS Project Science Office (EOSPSO) aims to bring information and resources to the Earth science research community and the general public.

Check out more news and information on Space in Science Times.