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By NASA
4 Min Read NASA Data Helps Protect US Embassy Staff from Polluted Air
This visualization of aerosols shows dust (purple), smoke (red), and sea salt particles (blue) swirling across Earth’s atmosphere on Aug. 23, 2018, from NASA’s GEOS-FP (Goddard Earth Observing System forward processing) computer model. Credits:
NASA’s Earth Observatory United States embassies and consulates, along with American citizens traveling and living abroad, now have a powerful tool to protect against polluted air, thanks to a collaboration between NASA and the U.S. State Department.
Since 2020, ZephAir has provided real-time air quality data for about 75 U.S. diplomatic posts. Now, the public tool includes three-day air quality forecasts for PM2.5, a type of fine particulate matter, for all the approximately 270 U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. These tiny particles, much smaller than a grain of sand, can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, causing respiratory and cardiovascular problems.
“This collaboration with NASA showcases how space-based technology can directly impact lives on the ground,” said Stephanie Christel, climate adaptation and air quality monitoring program lead with the State Department’s Greening Diplomacy Initiative. “This is not something the State Department could have done on its own.” For instance, placing air quality monitors at all U.S. diplomatic posts is prohibitively expensive, she explained.
“NASA’s involvement brings not only advanced technology,” she added, “but also a trusted name that adds credibility and reliability to the forecasts, which is invaluable for our staff stationed abroad.”
The forecasts, created using NASA satellite data, computer models, and machine learning, are crucial for U.S. embassies and consulates, where approximately 60,000 U.S. citizens and local staff work. Many of these sites are in regions with few local air quality monitors or early warning systems for air pollution.
“ZephAir’s new forecasting capability is a prime example of NASA’s commitment to using our data for societal benefit,” said Laura Judd, an associate program manager for Health and Air Quality at NASA. “Partnering with the State Department allows us to extend the reach of our air quality data, providing embassies and local communities worldwide with vital information to protect public health.”
Enhancing Health, Safety with NASA Air Quality Data
To manage air pollution exposure, the tool can assist diplomatic staff with decisions on everything from building ventilation to outdoor activities at embassy schools.
For many embassies, especially in regions with severe air pollution, having reliable air quality forecasts is crucial for safeguarding staff and their families, influencing both daily decisions and long-term planning. “Air quality is a top priority for my family as we think about [our next assignment], so having more information is a huge help,” said Alex Lewis, a political officer at the U.S. embassy in Managua, Nicaragua.
A screenshot of the ZephAir web dashboard featuring air quality forecasts for Managua, Nicaragua. U.S. Department of State Previously, ZephAir only delivered data on current PM2.5 levels using air quality monitors on the ground from about 75 U.S. diplomatic locations and about 50 additional sources. Now, the enhanced tool provides PM2.5 forecasts for all sites, using the Goddard Earth Observing System forward processing (GEOS-FP), a weather and climate computer model. It incorporates data on tiny particles or droplets suspended in Earth’s atmosphere called aerosols from MODIS (Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites.
Aerosols are tiny airborne particles that come from both natural sources, like dust, volcanic ash, and sea spray, and from human activities, such as burning fossil fuels. PM2.5 refers to particles or droplets that are 2.5 micrometers or smaller in diameter — about 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair.
“We use the GEOS-FP model to generate global aerosol forecasts,” said Pawan Gupta, of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the lead scientist on the project. “Then we calibrate the forecasts for embassy locations, using historical data and machine learning techniques.”
As of August 2024, the forecasting feature is available on the ZephAir web and mobile platforms.
The new forecasts are about more than just protecting U.S. citizens and local embassy staff; they are also contributing to global action on air quality. The State Department engages with local governments and communities to raise awareness about air quality issues. “These forecasts are a critical part of our strategy to mitigate the impacts of air pollution not only for our personnel but also for the broader community in many regions around the world,” Christel said.
Officials with the Greening Diplomacy Initiative partnered with NASA through the Health and Air Quality Applied Sciences Team to develop the new forecasts and will continue the collaboration through support from the Satellite Needs Working Group.
Looking ahead, the team aims to expand ZephAir’s capabilities to include ground-level ozone data, another major pollutant that can affect the health of embassy staff and local communities.
By Emily DeMarco
NASA’s Earth Science Division, Headquarters
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Last Updated Sep 20, 2024 Editor Rob Garner Contact Rob Garner rob.garner@nasa.gov Location Goddard Space Flight Center Related Terms
Aqua Benefits Back on Earth Earth Earth’s Atmosphere Goddard Space Flight Center Terra View the full article
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By European Space Agency
Just a month after its launch, ESA’s Arctic Weather Satellite has already delivered its first images, notably capturing Storm Boris, which has been wreaking havoc across central Europe.
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By NASA
Earth Observer Earth Home Earth Observer Home Editor’s Corner Feature Articles Meeting Summaries News Science in the News Calendars In Memoriam More Archives 4 min read
Celebrating the First Earth Day Event at NASA Headquarters
Photo. Young attendees pose in front of the NASA Worm at the Earth Day celebration at NASA HQ. Photo credit: NASA Introduction
Organized by the Science Mission Directorate’s Science Support Office (SSO), NASA hosted its 12th annual Earth Day Celebration event from April 18–19, 2024. For the first time ever, the two-day event was held at NASA Headquarters (HQ) in Washington, DC.
The in-person event, which was free and open to the public, featured the newly installed Earth Information Center (EIC) exhibit – see Photos 1–4. The event featured 17 hands-on activities offered in NASA HQ’s East Lobby as well as two adjacent outdoor tents. Event participants were given an activity passport called the “Passport to Fun” listing all the activities and encouraging attendees to visit the stations and interact with NASA staff – see Figure 1. After completing six or more activities, attendees were able to claim giveaway items, e.g., lenticulars, NASA bags, posters, and calendars.
Photos 1–3. Student attendees at the Earth Information Center (EIC) interactive exhibit. Photo credits: NASA Photos 1–3. Student attendees at the Earth Information Center (EIC) interactive exhibit. Photo credits: NASA Photos 1–3. Student attendees at the Earth Information Center (EIC) interactive exhibit. Photo credits: NASA
Photo 4. Mark Subbarao [GSFC—Scientific Visualization Studio Lead] engages attendees with NASA science in front of the EIC Hyperwall. Photo credit: NASA Figure 1. Earth Day Activity Passport. Figure credit: NASA Prior to the event, Trena Ferrell [GSFC—Earth Science Education and Public Outreach Lead] arranged for groups of students from several local schools to visit the NASA Earth Day event. This included over 300 students from DuVal High School, Morgan State University, Howard University, Prince George’s County Environmental Academy, Prince George’s County Virtual Academy, International Hispanic School, and homeschoolers. On April 19, all of the students who were present at that time gathered for a plenary in the Webb Auditorium. Ferrell welcomed the attendees and provided introductions to prepare them for a virtual presentation by former NASA astronaut Paul Richards, who interacted with attendees and answered questions for roughly 20 minutes.
After Richard’s presentation, the attendees heard from Karen St. Germain [NASA HQ—Director of NASA’s Earth Science Division], whose in-person remarks emphasized to the students the crucial albeit less publicized studies that NASA does of our home planet. Related to this year’s Earth Day theme, “Water Touches Everything,” she discussed the ability of NASA’s Earth observing satellites to track water in all its forms as it circulates throughout the Earth system. St. Germain then answered questions from the audience for 15 minutes – see Photos 5–8.
Photo 5.Trena Ferrell [GSFC—Earth Science Education and Public Outreach Lead] welcomed student attendees to the Earth Day event. Photo credit: NASA Photos 6–7. Former NASA astronaut Paul Richards takes audience questions at the NASA Earth Day event. Photo credit: NASA Photos 6–7. Former NASA astronaut Paul Richards takes audience questions at the NASA Earth Day event. Photo credit: NASA Photo 8. Karen St. Germain [NASA Headquarters—Director of NASA’s Earth Science Division] provided remarks and answered student questions in the Webb Auditorium. Photo credit: NASA
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson visited the event on April 19, accompanied by Karen St. Germain and several NASA staff members who guided him as he explored the activities offered – see Photos 9–10.
Photo 9. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson [center, rear] spent time circulating among the NASA Earth Day hands-on activities. Here, he visits the “Measuring Light the Landsat Way” activity station, where Mike Taylor [GSFC/Science Systems and Applications, Inc.—Landsat Outreach Team] [left] explains how Landsat utilizes the electromagnetic spectrum and spectral signatures to better understand Earth. Photo credit: NASA Photo 10. [Left to right] Faith McKie [Acting NASA Press Secretary], Bill Nelson, Karen St. Germain, and Tom Wagner [Associate Director for Earth Action in the Earth Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate] during the Earth Day media briefing. Photo credit: NASA
Throughout the two-day event, it is estimated that as many as 1500 public participants attended along with the 300 students already discussed. While SSO staff distributed 500 activity passports, many small groups and families shared a single passport. SSO staff estimates that the true number of participants may be close to 1500 – see Photos 11–19.
Photo 11. A young Earth Day participant interacts with Ellen Gray [NASA GSFC—Earth Science News Team]. Photo credit: NASA Photo 12. Jenny Mottar [NASA HQ—Art Director for the Science Mission Directorate] and Kevin Miller [GSFC—SSO Senior Graphic Designer] hand out “Water Touches Everything” NASA Earth Day posters to student attendees. Photo credit: NASA Photos 13. Ross Walter [GSFC—Data Visualizer and Animator, Landsat Outreach Team] engages with students at the “Viewing Earth From Above with Landsat” station. Photo credit: NASA Photos 14. Students explore the Chesapeake Bay as seen by Landsat 8 with a large, vinyl floor mat. Photo credit: NASA Photo 15. Students play a Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI) Jeopardy game at the “GEDI Knights Measure Forests from Space” table. Photo credit: NASA Photo 16. Student attendees make ultraviolet-bead bracelets and Helio Big Year buttons at the Heliophysics station. Photo credit: NASA Photo 17. Young attendees engage with Valerie Casasanto [GSFC—Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) Outreach Lead], who helps them work on a three-dimensional glacier puzzle at the “ICESat-2: Ice, Trees, and Earth Height, If You Please!” station. Photo credit: NASA Photo 18. Young attendees engage with the “Meteorite Map Challenge.” Photo credit: NASA Photo 19. Dorian Janney [GSFC—GPM Outreach Specialist] engages visitors at the “Connect the Drops” station, where visitors learn how and why measuring global precipitation helps us better understand our home planet. Photo credit: NASA
Conclusion
NASA’s first Earth Day Celebration at NASA Headquarters was quite successful. While attendance was lower than previous events held at the more heavily trafficked Union Station or the National Mall, there was a steady stream of people throughout the exhibit on both days. It was also a great opportunity to showcase the new EIC to the public. Earth Day is the largest event organized annually by the SSO. This event requires months of planning, cross-divisional coordination, and intensive design of the hands-on activities – all carried from conceptualization through numerous revisions to implementation by more than 100 individuals from across the agency. This combined effort of SSO staff and assisting organizations results in an event that brings together thousands of visitors from a broad spectrum of ages and backgrounds to enjoy NASA science. This event would not have been possible were it not for the incredible efforts and collaboration put forth by so many of NASA’s outreach professionals. The SSO is grateful for all who helped to make this year’s Earth Day event a success and looks forward to Earth Day 2025.
Dalia Kirshenblat
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Global Science & Technology, Inc. (GSFC/GST)
dalia.p.zelmankirshenblat@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Sep 17, 2024 Related Terms
Earth Science View the full article
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By European Space Agency
Less than two weeks after being launched into orbit, Sentinel-2C has delivered its first images. These spectacular views of Earth offer a sneak peek at the data that this new satellite will provide for Copernicus – Europe’s world-leading Earth observation programme.
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By NASA
The X-15 hypersonic rocket-powered aircraft, built by North American Aviation (NAA), greatly expanded our knowledge of flight at speeds exceeding Mach 6 and altitudes above 250,000 feet. A joint project among NASA, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Navy, the X-15’s first powered flight took place on Sept. 17, 1959, at the Flight Research Center, now the Armstrong Flight Research Center, at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in California. NAA chief test pilot A. Scott Crossfield piloted this flight and other early test flights before NASA and the Air Force took ownership of the aircraft. Between 1959 and 1968, 12 pilots completed 199 missions and achieved ever higher speeds and altitudes, knowledge and experience that later influenced the development of future programs such as the space shuttle.
Left: During its October 1958 rollout ceremony at the North American Aviation (NAA) facility in Los Angeles, NAA pilot A. Scott Crossfield poses in front of the X-15-1. Right: Rollout of X-15-2 at the NAA facility in February 1959.
The origins of the X-15 date to 1952, when the Committee on Aerodynamics of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) adopted a resolution to expand their research portfolio to study flight at altitudes between 12 and 50 miles and Mach numbers between 4 and 10. The Air Force and Navy agreed and conducted joint feasibility studies at NACA’s field centers. In 1955, the Air Force selected North American Aviation (NAA), Los Angeles, to build three X-15 hypersonic aircraft.
On Oct. 1, 1958, the new National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) incorporated the NACA centers and inherited the X-15 project. Two weeks later, on Oct. 15, 1958, the rollout of the first of the three aircraft took place at NAA’s Los Angeles facility where several of the early X-15 pilots, including Crossfield, attended. After the ceremony, workers wrapped the aircraft, placed it on a flatbed truck, and drove it overnight to the High Speed Flight Station, renamed by NASA the Flight Research Center in September 1959, where all the X-15 flights took place. Before this first aircraft took to the skies, NAA rolled out X-15-2 on Feb. 27, 1959. The X-15-3 rounded out the small fleet in early 1960.
Aerial view of the Flight Research Center, now NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, at Edwards Air Force Base, California, with one of the B-52 carrier aircraft at left and an X-15 at right. Image credit: courtesy JD Barnes Collection.
Left: Diagram showing the two main profiles used by the X-15, either for altitude or speed. Right: The twin XLR-11 engines, left, and the more powerful XLR-99 engine used to power the X-15.
Like earlier X-planes, a carrier aircraft, in this case a modified B-52 Stratofortress, released the 34,000-pound X-15 at an altitude of 45,000 feet to conserve its fuel for the research mission. Flights took place within the High Range, a flight corridor extending from Wendover AFB in Utah to the Rogers Dry Lake landing zone adjacent to Edwards AFB, with emergency landing zones along the way. Typical research missions lasted eight to 12 minutes and followed either a high-altitude or a high-speed profile following launch from the B-52 and ignition of the X-15’s rocket engine. After burnout of the engine, the pilot guided the aircraft to an unpowered landing on the lakebed runway. To withstand the high temperatures during hypersonic flight and reentry, the X-15’s outer skin consisted of a then-new nickel-chrome alloy called Inconel-X. Because traditional aerodynamic surfaces used for flight control while in the atmosphere do not work in the near vacuum of space, the X-15 used its Ballistic Control System thrusters for attitude control while flying outside the atmosphere. NAA substituted eight smaller XLR-11 engines that produced only 16,000 pounds of thrust because of delays in the development of the 57,000-pound thrust XLR-99 rocket engine, built specifically for the X-15, For the first 17 months of test flights, the X-15 remained significantly underpowered. NAA chief pilot Crossfield had the primary responsibility for carrying out the initial test flights of the X-15 before handover of the aircraft to NASA and the Air Force.
Left: Flight profile of the first unpowered glide test flight of the X-15. Right: A. Scott Crossfield pilots the X-15 during its first unpowered glide test flight in June 1959.
With Crossfield at the controls of X-15-1, the first captive flight during which the X-15 remained attached to the B-52’s wing, took place on March 10, 1959. Crossfield completed the first unpowered glide flight of X-15-1 on June 8, the flight lasting just five minutes.
Left: The B-52 carrier aircraft taxis on the runway at Edwards Air Force Base in California, with the X-15 and pilot A. Scott Crossfield ready to perform the first powered flight of the hypersonic research aircraft. Right: The B-52 carries the X-15 and Crossfield to the drop altitude.
Left: Pilot A. Scott Crossfield is visible in the cockpit of the X-15 shortly before the release from the B-52 carrier aircraft. Image credit: courtesy North American Aviation. Right: The X-15 dumps excess fuel just prior to the drop.
Left: The X-15 drops from the B-52 carrier aircraft to begin its first powered flight. Middle: The view from the B-52 as the X-15 drops away. Right: Pilot A. Scott Crossfield has ignited all eight of the X-15’s engines to begin the powered flight.
Left: View taken from a chase plane of the X-15 during its glide to the lakebed following its first powered flight. Middle: Pilot A. Scott Crossfield brings the X-15 to a smooth touchdown on the lakebed runway at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Image credit: courtesy North American Aviation. Right: Crossfield hops out of the cockpit at the conclusion of the X-15’s first successful powered flight.
On Sept. 17, at the controls of X-15-2, Crossfield completed the first powered flight of an X-15. Firing all eight of the XLR-11 engines for 224 seconds, he reached a speed of Mach 2.11, or 1,393 miles per hour, and an altitude of 52,341 feet. Overcoming a few hardware problems, he brought the aircraft to a successful landing after a flight lasting just over nine minutes and traveling 88 miles. During 12 more flights, Crossfield expanded the aircraft’s flight envelope to Mach 2.97 and 88,116 feet while gathering important data on its flying characteristics. His last three flights used the higher thrust XLR-99 engine, the one designed for the aircraft. Crossfield’s 14th flight on Dec. 6, 1960, marked the end of the contracted testing program, and North American turned the X-15 over to the Air Force and NASA.
Standing between the first two aircraft, North American Aviation chief test pilot A. Scott Crossfield, left, symbolically hands over the keys to the X-15 to U.S. Air Force pilot Robert M. White and NASA pilot Neil A. Armstrong at the conclusion of the contracted flight test program. Image credit: courtesy North American Aviation.
Left: Chief NASA X-15 pilot Joseph “Joe” A. Walker following his altitude record-setting flight in August 1963. Middle left: Air Force pilot William J. “Pete” Knight following his speed record-setting flight in October 1967. Middle right: NASA pilot Neil A. Armstrong stands next to an X-15. Right: Air Force pilot Joe H. Engle following a flight aboard X-15A-2 in December 1965.
Over nine years, Crossfield and 11 other pilots – five NASA, five U.S. Air Force, and one U.S. Navy – completed a total of 199 flights of the X-15, gathering data on the aerodynamic and thermal performance of the aircraft flying to the edge of space and returning to Earth. The pilots also conducted a series of experiments, taking advantage of the plane’s unique characteristics and flight environment. NASA chief pilot Joseph “Joe” A. Walker flew the first of his 25 flights in March 1960. On his final flight on Aug. 22, 1963, he took X-15-3 to an altitude of 354,200 feet, or 67.1 miles, the highest achieved in the X-15 program, and a record for piloted aircraft that stood until surpassed during the final flight of SpaceShipOne on Oct. 4, 2004.
On Oct. 3, 1967, Air Force pilot William J. “Pete” Knight flew X-15A-2, with fully fueled external tanks, to an unofficial speed record for a piloted winged vehicle of Mach 6.70, or 4,520 miles per hour. The mark stood until surpassed during the reentry of space shuttle Columbia on April 14, 1981. NASA pilot Neil A. Armstrong and Air Force pilot Joe H. Engle flew the X-15 before joining NASA’s astronaut corps. Armstrong took to the skies seven times in the X-15 prior to becoming an astronaut, where he flew the Gemini VIII mission in 1966 and took humanity’s first steps on the Moon in July 1969. Engle has the unique distinction as the only person to have flown both the X-15 (16 times) and the space shuttle (twice in the atmosphere and twice in space). Of the first powered X-15 flight, Engle said, it “was a real milestone in a program that we still benefit from today.”
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