The discovery of billions of “Earth-like” planets has expanded the size and scope of the universe we live in while also increasing the importance of our own Earth. Billions of Earth-like planets and no signs of life in the universe, this has shown NASA and the world the importance and fragility of life here on Earth. NASA’s goals of exploring the stars have a direct impact on the tools humanity has access to in the fight against climate change. Besides new technologies space exploration has developed ways to track and collect data on our changing world.
NASA’s first and most important contribution to understanding climate change was the interconnected army of data collecting satellites which have become Earth’s eyes and ears. The agency’s research includes tracking the sea level, solar activity, the temperature of the ocean and atmosphere, the ozone layer, air pollution, and changes in sea ice and land ice. As the previous list shows there is almost nothing that NASA doesn’t track. This data collection across a variety of different mediums helps to understand what areas of the world are being affected and informs scientists how to fight these changes. NASA hasn’t always been looking inward and originally was tasked with developing technology for space observations. NASA originally worked with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) where they provided observational technologies while these other organizations carried out Earth science roles and research. It wasn’t until the 1970s where Congress cut the funding of these three agencies which pressured NASA to take the reins and shift their research towards “national needs”. NASA started to focus on internal issues like energy efficiency, pollution, ozone depletion, and climate change. This solidified NASA’s role in Earth science where most of their new technologies went back into the fight against climate change. This essentially put a hold on any deep space or solar exploration and made NASA the new subject matter expert on Earth’s climate up until now where manned missions to the Moon and Mars could be as little as 10-20 years away. This new era of NASA is can be worrying to the public where they believe that sending astronauts to the Moon or Mars is a waste of taxpayer money.
Earth: An Introspection
NASA isn’t the only agency working towards using its space technologies to observe and collect data about climate change. A United Nations General Assembly report by the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space written on March 31, 2011, provides insight into the systems to address climate change issues. The report notes satellites as:
Part of the global array of networks of systems to monitor climate change, now provide a vital and important means of bringing observations of the climate system together for a global perspective. Satellites contribute to the monitoring of carbon emissions, the changing of ice in polar caps and glaciers, and temperature changes. However, for satellite data to contribute fully and effectively to the determination of long-term records, it is important to ensure that satellite-based data are climatically accurate and homogeneous. (Space and Climate Change 2)
The UN report further shows that satellite technologies at a global scare are vitally important in the context of climate change. The UN report shows how they can use satellite data to identify sea-level change to be a direct result of climate change which can inform scientists and lawmakers on how to develop plans to combat sea-levels rising and provide support to the people who will be most affected. The Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) is noted as “absolutely necessary to understand the impact of changing climate, assess regional vulnerability and monitor the efficacy of adaptation and mitigation efforts.”. (Space and Climate Change 6). Showing how space-related technology has become the backbone or life-blood of the true understanding of climate change and the step that need to be taken to prevent the destruction of Earth.
NASA maintains a fleet of Earth science spacecraft and instruments in orbit studying all aspects of the Earth system (oceans, land, atmosphere, biosphere, cryosphere)
Developed in Space, Benefits For All
Besides the direct impact that satellites provide countries to help educated their decisions about climate change, there have been technologies that have either revolutionized or greatly improved our current technologies which help us live in a cleaner more safe Earth. Agriculture, along with forestry, together account for 10.5% of greenhouse gasses in the U.S. (Climate Change) so the fact that NASA helped develop fertilizer technology with technologies developed from the space program. Kennedy Space Center developed a fertilizer called Florikan Controlled Release Fertilizer (CRF) which uses polymer coating to time-release this fertilizer for growing plants. This technology avoids the rapid release of nutrients which can leach through the soil and even get into waterways. The CRF introduced a way to efficiently use resources and produce less waste in the environment. The CRF was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame in 2017 and is used for the Advanced Plant Habitat located in the ISS. NASA has also developed a microbial check valve that treats the water used by astronauts in the ISS and long-duration space flights. This technology made its way into the commercial market which has provided safe drinking water to developing countries like Pakistan, Kurdish villages, and the Dominican Republic just to name a few. Though this technology doesn’t directly fight climate change it increases the overall welfare of humanity by providing clean drinking water to billions of people. Providing people a safe and clean environment to live in is the ultimate goal of climate change and any technology that can help non-directly with that goal is always welcome.
Scientists observing the Florikan’s Staged Nutrient Release (SNR) Fertilizer
Space exploration is the culmination of the best humanity has to offer. It not only produces technologies that improve the lives of people on Earth and fight climate change, seeing the feat of sending astronauts to the Moon or Mars and having multiple countries work together for a common goal inspires hope in future generations to make the world a better, safe place. Climate change cannot be defeated on just one front, we need to utilize both land, sea, air, space, and the hope of people to make Earth safe for our future generations.
Sources
Andrews, Robin George. “Can Spaceflight Save the Planet?” Scientific American, Scientific American, 6 Sept. 2019, www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-spaceflight-save-the-planet/.
Brian. “Microbial Check Valve.” Space Foundation, 15 Sept. 2020, www.spacefoundation.org/space_technology_hal/microbial-check-valve/.
“Fertilizer Technology Plants Pioneer in Hall of Fame.” NASA, NASA, technology-ksc.ndc.nasa.gov/featurestory/fertilizer-hall-of-fame.
“Overview.” USDA ERS – Climate Change, www.ers.usda.gov/topics/natural-resources-environment/climate-change/#:~:text=Agriculture%20and%20forestry%20together%20are,largest%20contributor%20to%20climate%20change.
“Taking a Global Perspective on Earth’s Climate.” NASA, NASA, 4 Feb. 2020, climate.nasa.gov/nasa_science/history/.
United Nations, Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Space Technologies for Monitoring and Protecting Biodiversity and Ecosystems, United Nations, 9 June 2015. www.unoosa.org/res/oosadoc/data/documents/2015/aac_1052015crp/aac_1052015crp_10_0_html/AC105_2015_CRP10E.pdf.
United States, Congress, Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. Space and Climate Change, United Nations, 31 Mar. 2011. www.unoosa.org/pdf/reports/ac105/AC105_991E.pdf.
