NASA to Brief Media on Climate Mission to Study Ocean Life, Air

NASA's Speed (Tiny fish, Spray, Cloud, sea Environment) mission, seen here in a craftsman's idea, is booked to send off no sooner than Feb. 6, 2024, to concentrate on Earth's seas, air, and environment. NASA/Calculated Picture Research center NASA will have a media video chat at 12 p.m. EST, Wednesday, Jan. 17, to talk about the impending send off and science targets of the organization's Speed (Microscopic fish, Spray, Cloud, sea Biological system) mission. Once in circle above Earth, the satellite will reveal insight into the effect of small things - minute life in water and minuscule particles in the air. With new worldwide experiences, Speed will assist with responding to inquiries regarding how our seas and air communicate in an evolving environment. The sound just video chat will be livestreamed on the organization's site. NASA members will include: NASA Representative Director Pam Melroy Karen St. Germain, chief, Geology Division, NASA Base camp Jeremy Werdell, Speed project researcher, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Mark Voyton, Speed project administrator, NASA Goddard Noosha Haghani, Speed appointee mission frameworks engineer, NASA Goddard Otto Hasekamp, environmental researcher, SRON/Netherlands Foundation for Space Exploration Erin Urquhart Jephson, Speed applications lead, NASA Goddard NASA's Speed is planned to send off no sooner than 1:30 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 6, on a SpaceX Hawk 9 rocket from Space Send off Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Power Station in Florida.

NASA to Brief Media on Climate Mission to Study Ocean Life, Air

NASA is set to provide a detailed briefing on its upcoming climate mission focused on exploring the intricate relationships between ocean life and the Earth’s atmosphere. This groundbreaking mission underscores the critical role of oceans in regulating the planet's climate and how biological processes within them interact with air quality and atmospheric changes.

Mission Overview

The new mission aims to study the interplay between marine ecosystems and the atmosphere, particularly:

Carbon Cycling: Examining how ocean life contributes to or mitigates the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Phytoplankton Dynamics: Investigating the behavior of phytoplankton, microscopic marine organisms that play a key role in carbon sequestration and oxygen production.
Air-Sea Exchange: Understanding how gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the ocean and the atmosphere.

Key Objectives

Climate Modeling: The data collected will enhance climate models by providing insights into the ocean's role as a carbon sink.
Biodiversity and Climate Change: Studying how marine biodiversity responds to changing ocean temperatures and chemistry.
Air Quality: Exploring how oceanic emissions of organic compounds affect atmospheric composition and weather patterns.

Technological Highlights

The mission will leverage cutting-edge technology, including:

Satellite Observations: To monitor large-scale oceanic and atmospheric interactions in real-time.
Autonomous Ocean Probes: Equipped with sensors to collect data on temperature, salinity, and biological activity.
High-Resolution Spectroscopy: For detailed analysis of air and water samples.

The Importance of the Ocean-Atmosphere Connection

Oceans cover over 70% of the Earth’s surface and absorb about a quarter of all human-made carbon dioxide emissions. Their health is pivotal to mitigating climate change. By studying the biological and chemical processes in oceans, NASA hopes to uncover actionable insights for protecting marine ecosystems and combating global warming.

Public Engagement

NASA’s briefing will also highlight efforts to involve the public and educators:

Interactive data visualizations for classrooms.
Citizen science opportunities for tracking ocean and atmospheric changes.