Earth-science satellite network in jeopardy

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Randall <rvh40 () insightbb com>
> Date: May 2, 2005 12:28:35 AM EDT
> To: JMG <johnmacsgroup () yahoogroups com>
> Cc: Dave <dave () farber net>
> Subject: Earth-science satellite network in jeopardy
>
>
> http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7317
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________________ 
> __
> Posted: 2005-05-01 13:20
>
> Earth-science satellite network in jeopardy
>
> NewScientist.com news service
> Kelly Young
>
> The US network of satellites monitoring the environmental health of  
> the
> Earth is on the verge of collapse, according to a highly critical  
> report
> released on Wednesday by the country's National Research Council.
>
> Six recent NASA Earth-observing missions have been delayed, scaled  
> back
> or completely cut. Several of the cancelled missions were follow- 
> ups to
> successful satellite projects.
>
> The US is probably responsible for about half of the Earth-science
> satellites currently in orbit, says Richard Anthes, president of the
> University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and co-chair of the
> committee that produced the report.
>
> Most of the document focuses on research satellites, and Anthes warns
> that, for example, these map bulges in the Earth that may signal
> impending volcanic eruptions, track the depleted ozone layer, and
> analyse changes in soil moisture that may precede a famine.  
> Furthermore,
> if observational satellites are not replaced weather and hurricane
> forecasting would suffer.
>
> When current satellites retire, scientists fear there may be a serious
> data gap. "The planning for new missions should probably have been
> started five to 10 years ago," says Anthes. "But the community is now
> waking up."
>
> "NASA is currently carefully reviewing each recommendation in the
> academy's report," says NASA spokesperson Dolores Beasley. "We'll work
> with the community to respond to all of the recommendations."
>
> Costly GIFTS
>
> President George W Bush's proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2006 lists
> Earth studies as one of NASA's five national objectives. But in that
> budget, NASA's Earth science programmes would get $1.37 billion, about
> 8% less than they received the year before.
>
> The report recommends that two missions in particular be re- 
> instated as
> soon as possible. One is the Global Precipitation Measurement  
> mission -
> an international network of eight satellites designed to provide
> worldwide rainfall data. The other is the Geostationary Imaging  
> Fourier
> Transform Spectrometer (GIFTS), which would measure temperature and
> water vapour in the atmosphere. NASA has already spent over $100  
> million
> on GIFTS.
>
> The panel also recommends that NASA and the National Oceanic and
> Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) re-evaluate the Ocean Vector Winds,
> Landsat Data Continuity and Glory missions. Instruments from those
> missions - which would measure ocean winds, land surface changes,
> aerosols and solar irradiance - could be transferred from NASA to  
> future
> NOAA satellites.
>
> NOAA is planning to launch its National Polar-orbiting Operational
> Environmental Satellite System in 2009. "Right now, the whole  
> future of
> Earth observations is basically resting on the NOAA satellites,"  
> Anthes
> told New Scientist.
>
> "Unusual urgency"
>
> The National Research Council's final report on a 10-year research
> agenda for Earth observations from space is due for release in late
> 2006. Wednesday's interim report was published because "we felt that
> there was an unusual amount of urgency", Anthes says. "There are  
> enough
> signs that Earth science was losing priority in NASA that we thought
> damage could be done."
>
> He says there are many reasons for the slowdown in Earth-science
> missions, including different national priorities, such as the 2003  
> war
> with Iraq, national security and the plan to send humans to the  
> Moon and
> Mars.
>
> The US House Science Committee will hold a hearing on Thursday to
> discuss NASA's plans for Earth-science research. The space agency's
> associate administrator for science, Alphonso Diaz, will be among  
> those
> answering questions from congressmen.
>
> Link
>
> -----------------
> "...the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan's
> advantage..." --Emperor Hirohito

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