NASA launches mission to measure thermal radiation at Earth’s poles

NASA has launched the first of a pair of climate satellites for the first time on a mission to study thermal radiation at Earth’s poles.

The PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy Experiment in Far Infrared) mission is in orbit after launching from the US space agency’s Launch Complex 1 on Saturday morning.

The mission consists of two shoebox-sized cube satellites (CubeSats) that will measure the amount of heat that Earth radiates into space from two of the planet’s coldest and most remote regions.

The collected data will help researchers better predict how the Earth’s atmosphere, ocean and climate will change under global warming.

“NASA’s innovative PREFIRE mission will fill a gap in our understanding by providing our scientists with a detailed picture of how Earth’s polar regions influence the amount of energy our planet absorbs and releases,” said the director of NASA’s Earth Science Division. , Karen St. Germain.

“This will improve forecasting of sea ice loss, melting ice sheets and sea level rise, creating a better understanding of how our planet’s systems will change in the coming years, providing vital information for farmers, fishing fleets and those working in changing seas and coastal areas ” communities, strengthening their resilience,” he added.

The second PREFIRE will be launched in the coming days, and after 30 days of testing of the two satellites, the mission is expected to last 10 months.

The PREFIRE mission aims to study the balance between the thermal energy that the Earth receives from the Sun and that it radiates. The difference between them is what determines the temperature and climate of the planet.

Most of the heat emitted by the Arctic and Antarctica is emitted as far-infrared radiation, but detailed measurements of this type of energy do not currently exist.