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If the thought of appearing on Google Street View doesn't unsettle you, consider the vast array of scientific research being conducted from space. It's astonishing how much scientists and astronauts can learn about Earth—and us—from thousands of miles above.
10. Energy Consumption and Holiday Lighting
You might be surprised to learn that NASA scientists are not only admiring your holiday lights, but they’re also putting them to practical use.
For several years, NASA has been using satellite imagery to form a global map of who is celebrating which holiday—and it’s not for the reason you may think. During the holidays, people break their usual routines by going out more, staying up later, and keeping lights on longer, all of which significantly impacts global energy consumption.
Capturing an accurate picture of holiday lights has proven more challenging than expected. In 2011, a satellite with the incredible ability to detect light traces as faint as those from a single-person fishing boat off the African coast was launched. This same satellite can also handle the immense data from the most densely populated areas, and it was only after examining the data trends throughout the year that researchers realized they could identify which countries were celebrating which holidays.
The insights are profound. By analyzing the rise in energy use, scientists are also gaining knowledge about how carbon emission levels shift throughout the year and how energy demand fluctuates. This data could eventually guide us toward more energy-efficient practices.
9. Studying Ocean Salinity
With the launch of the Aquarius satellite, NASA has gained a whole new perspective on the planet’s water salinity levels. Positioned about 650 kilometers (400 miles) above Earth's surface, Aquarius follows an orbit pattern that allows it to map the entire planet every seven days. The satellite can measure water salinity with remarkable precision, and in its first two months of orbit, it collected more data than humanity has accumulated on Earth over the past 125 years.
The data gathered is enabling scientists to monitor not only ocean salinity levels but also track water currents. This helps them understand the effects of melting glaciers and ice caps on the planet's waterways. The satellite is also charting freshwater currents, offering researchers a glimpse into how saltwater and freshwater interact.
Launched in June 2011, the satellite came at a hefty price of $400 million to build, program, and send into orbit. A project two decades in the making, its origins can be traced back to scientists flying a small aircraft over an outdoor pool.
8. Space-Based Fragrances
When you think of groundbreaking scientific discoveries that could change our lives, developing a new perfume probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. Unless, of course, you work for the perfume company International Flowers & Fragrances.
In 1998, they partnered with NASA to create a unique greenhouse designed to grow flowers in space. This greenhouse provided the plants with all the essentials they would need, but after a rose spent 10 days in space, it came back with a noticeably different scent. This change occurred due to the distinct environment in space, where flowers produce essential oils without the usual influence of pollinators or pests, which are present on Earth.
Researchers found that the rose from space had a much more intense fragrance compared to those grown on Earth. The scent molecules extracted from the space-grown rose were incorporated into new perfume formulations. Companies continue to send plants into space to experiment with new and unique scents.
7. Monitoring Polar Bears
Even today, the Arctic presents significant challenges for researchers working in its harsh, freezing conditions. In fact, some scientists are finding it easier to gather data from space rather than dealing with the extreme cold.
Researchers are specifically focused on understanding the impact of disappearing Arctic ice on the wildlife that depends on it for survival. Tracking wildlife populations can be tough, but satellite technology allows researchers to closely monitor polar bear numbers and their movements.
Initial data was gathered over the Canadian Arctic, where scientists from various organizations, including the Bureau of Ocean Management and the University of Minnesota, utilized satellite images to track the bears. It turned out to be trickier than expected, as visual confirmation was needed to ensure that the objects they were observing were actually polar bears.
Once the researchers identified their target, they were able to cross-check their visual data with satellite images, confirming that satellites could offer a valuable means for monitoring wildlife activity that would otherwise be impossible to track.
6. Measuring Gravity
The planet's mass isn't the same everywhere, meaning that gravity also varies depending on your location. This is most noticeable at the poles, but gravitational forces fluctuate across the globe. This is what the GRACE mission measures. Launched in 2002, the GRACE satellites have spent their mission life mapping Earth's gravitational field and tracking its changes over time. The project involved two identical spacecraft equipped with GPS technology to measure how Earth's gravity influences them.
At first glance, it might seem like there's not much to measure. But gravitational forces are extremely sensitive, allowing researchers to construct a precise image of how Earth-bound events, like melting ice sheets or moving glaciers, can alter the planet's gravity. This is also helping them build a detailed map of the ocean floor, based on the interaction between underwater mountain ranges and gravitational forces. Once the data is compiled, it will also uncover patterns in how Earth's geography is shifting and, consequently, how these changes are affecting ocean currents, both at the surface and beneath the waves.
5. Mapping Soil Moisture
In January 2015, NASA launched the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) observatory on a three-year mission to collect global soil data. Regardless of the weather conditions, SMAP, at its altitude of 9 kilometers (5.6 miles), measures the moisture levels in the top 5 centimeters (2 inches) of soil, anywhere on Earth that's not covered in ice or water.
SMAP is set to record an enormous volume of data from its orbit, with the ability to measure water levels down to individual soil particles, plants, and roots. On a broader scale, the satellite can also detect frozen ground, although it cannot measure ice.
The satellite will orbit from pole to pole every 98 minutes, passing over the same region every two to three days, creating an incredibly detailed map of soil condition changes over the years. The effects could be profound, as it will provide researchers with valuable insights into forecasting weather patterns, determining optimal planting, growing, and harvesting times, and predicting storms, rainy seasons, and shifts in weather trends. Once yearly data is collected, they’ll also analyze how weather changes year by year and even identify early signs of potential crop failures and famine.
43. –D Forest Mapping
In a newly approved project led by the University of Maryland, NASA is advancing a program known as the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI). Once operational, GEDI will generate highly detailed 3-D imagery of the Earth’s forests.
The project will utilize a series of optical sensors and lasers that will beam through forest canopies, with the reflections returning to space. The time it takes for these reflections to return, as well as any obstacles they encounter on the way, will be converted into a map of the forest below. The plan is to send around 16 billion laser pulses each year to map every temperate and tropical forest globally. These maps will be so precise that the project leaders anticipate being able to estimate the age of every tree in every forest.
The satellite will be capable of identifying where the tree canopy begins and how thick it is, as well as detailing the forest beneath. This will lead to the creation of an accurate map that illustrates how climate change is affecting global forests, the amount of carbon stored in trees, and the health of forests in terms of biodiversity and wildlife habitats.
3. Mapping The World’s Waters
The United States, Canada, and France have teamed up for a project aiming to map the world’s waterways with an unprecedented level of precision. The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, which started in 2007, has the goal of creating a global picture of the Earth’s water systems.
The satellite charts approximately 90 percent of the planet’s water, measuring surface height with an accuracy of within 0.8 centimeters (0.3 in). This groundbreaking data will offer a never-before-seen view into ocean currents that, up until now, were poorly understood. While previous knowledge of these currents mostly came from tracking drifting debris, the SWOT mission allows scientists to compare real-time ocean current data with other information, such as weather patterns, to gain a comprehensive understanding of how our oceans are evolving over time.
The mission will also shed new light on the world’s freshwater areas, providing insight into how water moves through the global water cycle and how freshwater interacts with saltwater at their boundaries. The magnitude of the data and its potential impact is enormous—this information will aid in predicting weather patterns and improving ocean navigation, among other uses. Additionally, the data could help mitigate inter-governmental tensions by providing early warnings for potential droughts, low reservoir levels, and problems with shared rivers between countries or states.
2. High-Resolution Maps Of Everything
ASTER is a continuous collaboration between NASA and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry, part of a broader satellite mission that launched in 1999. Specifically, ASTER captures incredibly detailed, high-resolution images of almost everything on Earth, and it has uncovered some truly remarkable discoveries.
One of the most intriguing uses of ASTER’s imagery has been in the field of archaeology. Its high-resolution photos have exposed ancient fossils, bones, and stone tools in the Olduvai Gorge of Tanzania. These fossils are believed to belong to one of humanity’s earliest civilizations, dating back an astounding 2.1 million years. The same region, which was excavated in the 1930s, was also the site of discovering some of the oldest human fossils ever found.
ASTER’s data is shared with a large number of researchers studying a wide variety of natural phenomena. It’s aiding in predicting volcanic eruptions, tracking the start and spread of wildfires, mapping lava lakes, monitoring massive landscape changes caused by erosion, rising sea levels, and deforestation. The data is also being used to keep an eye on protected areas like national parks and green spaces.
1. ECOSTRESS
The ECOSystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment (ECOSTRESS) is another NASA initiative currently under development. Its ambitious mission is to monitor the health of the planet's plant life. The satellite will make high-resolution, frequent measurements to track the amount of water plants are losing through their pores, as well as how much moisture is evaporating from the soil. Additionally, it will monitor the temperature of individual plants by measuring the heat released from the planet’s surface, comparing it to the specific heat signatures of plants.
Since plants require a consistent amount of water to survive, the satellite's data will help detect problems before visible signs of stress due to water shortages appear. Researchers will be able to predict crop failures before they occur and identify early signs of drought conditions, allowing for timely intervention before plants begin to die.
The satellite will pass over the same region every four days, providing a continuously updated snapshot of farm, garden, and ecosystem conditions. The US Department of Agriculture is also collaborating on the project, with plans to eventually share the data with farmers, enabling them to make informed decisions about irrigation and watering. In many areas, significant debates exist about how best to utilize water resources, and ECOSTRESS will offer a comprehensive view of the global water cycle, helping to optimize resource use and crop efficiency.
