Hi!
I'm NASA astronaut Mike Barratt.
And just now
I'm living and working
aboard the International Space Station.
Today, we'll be learning
about how we use the station
to observe Earth
and to learn how things
like dust of the atmosphere
or the heights of trees
affect people and the climate.
Come on, let's go!
To begin, let's explore a couple of ways
we are currently using the station
to study our home planet.
The International Space
Station captures critical data
and imagery for a variety of Earth
science applications
through its unique vantage
point as an orbiting observatory
in low-Earth orbit.
From astronaut photography
supporting disaster response efforts
to external remote sensing instruments
assisting to secure a global
understanding of atmospheric
and oceanic processes.
There are several ways
we learn about our home planet
through the important
work of the space station.
In 2022,
we used
the space station's robotic arm
to place an instrument
on the exterior of the space
station, known as EMIT
or the Earth
Surface Mineral Dust
Source Investigation.
The sensor's goal is to understand
the mineral dust in our atmosphere
caused by strong winds, stirring up
dust from deserts
and other arid regions across the planet.
EMIT is an imaging spectrometer, meaning
it's like a camera that measures
light in hundreds of different colors
or spectra.
When it looks down at Earth,
it can see infrared colors
that our human eyes cannot see.
When we look at infrared,
different deserts show us unique colors,
telling us what the soil is
made of, as well
as what kind of dust
these regions produce.
This study is important
because scientists have learned that dust
suspended in the air can heat
or cool the atmosphere
and Earth's surface.
It will help us understand
the effects of dust in the atmosphere
by mapping the minerals in different dust
forming regions
in addition to climate impacts.
Mineral dust is important
for other reasons, too.
For example,
dust can help
form clouds
or change the chemistry of the atmosphere
when dust settles in water or on land.
It can provide nutrients
for our ecosystems.
If dust falls on snow or ice,
it can increase
the absorption of sunlight
and cause the snow to melt faster.
Dust can also reduce visibility
in the air or harm human health.
Another amazing sensor astronauts
installed on the exterior of the station
is called GEDI
or Global
Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation.
Since 2019, it has been measuring
the 3D structure
of Earth's land surface,
using a high resolution laser system,
providing the most accurate
and high resolution
maps of surface
topography
for a structure and biomass to date.
These maps are being used
by scientists to better understand
how the Earth's tropical
and temperate ecosystems capture carbon
and how forest structure is related
to patterns of plant diversity
and animal habitat use.
You know, we
as astronauts never get tired
of looking at the earth.
We have magnificent windows
that allow us these beautiful views.
And it's not just because
our home planet is a thing of beauty.
And it is. It's breathtaking!
But the more you look at it
over time,
you realize that it's a living,
breathing organism
that is just dynamic in its beauty.
It's something that
we need to take care of.
It takes care of us,
and to really take care of it,
we need to understand it the best we can.
Well, we've enjoyed having you with us
as we've
discussed how instruments
and sensors installed
on the International Space Station
help us
learn about various factors on Earth
that can improve our lives
as well as the lives
of future generations.
Thanks for exploring with us today.
See you again soon.