NASA launched a shoe-box sized satellite on Saturday that is expected to help scientists gather new data on climate developments in polar regions and their overall impact on global climate.
NASA’s earth sciences research director, Karen St. Germain, highlighted the significance of this mission at a recent press briefing, stating, “This new information, which has never been had, will improve our ability to model what’s happening in the poles, what’s happening in climate.”
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The satellite’s primary role is to take infrared measurements high above the Arctic and Antarctic regions to directly measure the heat released into space by the poles. This process plays a crucial role in balancing the excess heat received in tropical regions and regulating Earth’s temperature, explained Tristan L’Ecuyer, a mission researcher from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
The PREFIRE mission aims to understand how factors like clouds, humidity, and ice melting affect heat loss from the poles. Previously, climate change scientists relied on theoretical models to estimate heat loss, but the satellite’s data will provide real observations to improve these simulations.
St. Germain emphasized the importance of small satellites like this one, describing them as a cost-effective way to address specific scientific inquiries. She compared larger satellites to “generalists” and smaller ones to “specialists,” noting that NASA requires both types for comprehensive research.
The launch of this shoe box-sized satellite marks a significant step forward in NASA’s efforts to understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change on Earth’s polar regions.
