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By NASA
4 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Water piping is installed near the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-1/B-2) at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in December 2014. The project to replace and upgrade the center’s high pressure industrial water system was a key milestone in preparations to test the SLS (Space Launch System) core stage ahead of the successful Artemis I launch.NASA/Danny Nowlin Employees install a 96-inch valve near the Thad Cochran Test Stand (B-1/B-2) at NASA’s Stennis Space Center as part of a high-pressure industrial water upgrade project in March 2015.NASA/Danny Nowlin In this March 2022 photo, crews use a shoring system to hold back soil as they install new 75-inch piping leading from the NASA Stennis High Pressure Industrial Water Facility to the valve vault pit serving the Fred Haise Test Stand.NASA/Danny Nowlin Crews use a specially designed tool to place a new pipeline liner inside the existing carrier pipe near the Fred Haise Test Stand in 2024 in the last phase of updating the original test complex industrial water system at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.NASA/Danny Nowlin Crews prepare new pipeline liner sections for installation near the Fred Haise Test Stand in 2024 in the last phase of updating the original test complex industrial water system at NASA’s Stennis Space Center.NASA/Danny Nowlin For almost 60 years, NASA’s Stennis Space Center has tested rocket systems and engines to help power the nation’s human space exploration dreams. Completion of a critical water system infrastructure project helps ensure the site can continue that frontline work moving forward.
“The infrastructure at NASA Stennis is absolutely critical for rocket engine testing for the agency and commercial companies,” said NASA project manager Casey Wheeler. “Without our high pressure industrial water system, testing does not happen. Installing new underground piping renews the lifespan and gives the center a system that can be operated for the foreseeable future, so NASA Stennis can add to its nearly six decades of contributions to space exploration efforts.”
The high pressure industrial water system delivers hundreds of thousands of gallons of water per minute through underground pipes to cool rocket engine exhaust and provide fire suppression capabilities during testing. Without the water flow, the engine exhaust, reaching as hot as 6,000 degrees Fahrenheit, could melt the test stand’s steel flame deflector.
Each test stand also features a FIREX system that holds water in reserve for use in the event of a mishap or fire. During SLS (Space Launch System) core stage testing, water also was used to create a “curtain” around the test hardware, dampening the high levels of noise generated during hot fire and lessening the video-acoustic impact that can cause damage to infrastructure and the test hardware.
Prior to the system upgrade, the water flow was delivered by the site’s original piping infrastructure built in the 1960s. However, that infrastructure had well exceeded its expected 30-year lifespan.
Scope of the Project
The subsequent water system upgrade was planned across multiple phases over a 10-year span. Crews worked around ever-changing test schedules to complete three major projects representing more than $50 million in infrastructure investment.
“Many people working the construction jobs for these projects are from the Gulf Coast area, so it has created jobs and work for the people doing the construction,” Wheeler said. “Some of the specialty work has had people coming in from all over the country, as well as vendors and suppliers that are supplying the materials, so that has an economic impact here too.”
Crews started by replacing large sections of piping, including a 96-inch line, from the 66-million-gallon onsite reservoir to the Thad Cochran (B-1/B-2) Test Stand. This phase also included the installation of a new 25,000-gallon electric pump at the High Pressure Industrial Water Facility to increase water flow capacity. The upgrades were critical for NASA Stennis to conduct Green Run testing of the SLS core stage in 2020-21 ahead of the successful Artemis I launch.
Work in the A Test Complex followed with crews replacing sections of 75-inch piping from the water plant and installing several new 66-inch gate valves.
In the final phase, crews used an innovative approach to install new steel liners within existing pipes leading to the Fred Haise Test Stand (formerly A-1 Test Stand). The work followed NASA’s completion of a successful RS-25 engine test campaign last April for future Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond. The stand now is being prepared to begin testing of new RS-25 flight engines.
Overall, the piping project represents a significant upgrade in design and materials. The new piping is made from carbon steel, with protective linings to prevent corrosion and gate valves designed to be more durable.
Importance of Water
It is hard to overstate the importance of the work to ensure ongoing water flow. For a typical 500-second RS-25 engine test on the Fred Haise Test Stand, around 5 million gallons of water is delivered from the NASA Stennis reservoir through a quarter-of-a-mile of pipe before entering the stand to supply the deflector and cool engine exhaust.
“Without water to cool the deflector and the critical parts of the test stand that will get hot from the hot fire itself, the test stand would need frequent corrective maintenance,” Wheeler said. “This system ensures the test stands remain in a condition where continuous testing can happen.”
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Last Updated Sep 26, 2024 EditorNASA Stennis CommunicationsContactC. Lacy Thompsoncalvin.l.thompson@nasa.gov / (228) 688-3333LocationStennis Space Center Related Terms
Stennis Space Center Explore More
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By NASA
NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov walk across the crew access arm at Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.Credit: SpaceX NASA will provide coverage of the upcoming prelaunch and launch activities for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station.
Liftoff is targeted for 1:17 p.m. EDT, Saturday, Sept. 28, from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This is the first human spaceflight mission to launch from that pad. The targeted docking time is approximately 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 29.
Live coverage of the prelaunch news conference, launch, the post-launch news conference, and docking stream on NASA+ and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA content through a variety of additional platforms, including social media.
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will carry NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov to the orbiting laboratory for an approximate five-month science mission. This is the ninth crew rotation mission and the 10th human spaceflight mission for NASA to the space station supported by Dragon since 2020 as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
The deadline for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch has passed. The agency’s media credentialing policy is available online. For questions about media accreditation, please email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.
Media looking for access to NASA live video feeds can subscribe to the agency’s media resources distribution list to receive daily updates and links.
NASA’s mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
Friday, Sept. 27
11:30 a.m. – One-on-one media interviews at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida with various mission subject matter experts. Sign-up information will be emailed to media accredited to attend this launch.
1:15 p.m. – NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Panel: Space Station 101 with the following participants:
NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free Robyn Gatens, director, NASA’s International Space Station Program, and acting director, NASA’s Commercial Spaceflight Division Jennifer Buchli, chief scientist, NASA’s International Space Station Program John Posey, Dragon engineer, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Media may ask questions in person and via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 12:15 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Coverage of the virtual news conference will stream live on NASA+, YouTube, Facebook, and the agency’s website. Members of the public may ask questions online by posting questions to the YouTube, Facebook, and X livestreams using #AskNASA.
5 p.m. – Prelaunch news conference from Kennedy with the following participants:
NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Dina Contella, deputy manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program Jennifer Buchli, chief scientist, NASA’s International Space Station Program William Gerstenmaier, vice president, Build & Flight Reliability, SpaceX Brian Cizek, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Coverage of the virtual news conference will stream live on NASA+ and the agency’s website.
Media may ask questions in person and via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, media should contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Saturday, Sept. 28
9:10 a.m. – Launch coverage begins on NASA+ and the agency’s website.
1:17 p.m. – Launch
Following the conclusion of launch and ascent coverage, NASA will switch to audio only. Continuous coverage resumes on NASA+ at the start of rendezvous and docking and continues through hatch opening and the welcome ceremony. For NASA+ information, schedules, and links to streaming video, visit:
https://plus.nasa.gov
3 p.m. – Postlaunch news conference with the following participants:
NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate Dana Hutcherson, deputy program manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Dina Contella, deputy manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX The virtual news conference will stream live on NASA+, YouTube, and the agency’s website.
Media may ask questions in person and via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Sunday, Sept. 29
3:30 p.m. – Arrival coverage begins on NASA+ and the agency’s website.
5:30 p.m. – Targeted docking to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module
7:15 p.m. – Hatch opening
7:40 p.m. – Welcome ceremony
All times are estimates and could be adjusted based on real-time operations after launch. Follow the space station blog for the most up-to-date operations information.
Audio Only Coverage
Audio only of the news conferences and launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240 or -7135. On launch day, “mission audio,” countdown activities without NASA+ launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135.
Launch audio also will be available on Launch Information Service and Amateur Television System’s VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz and KSC Amateur Radio Club’s UHF radio frequency 444.925 MHz, FM mode, heard within Brevard County on the Space Coast.
Live Video Coverage Prior to Launch
NASA will provide a live video feed of Space Launch Complex-40 approximately six hours prior to the planned liftoff of the Crew-9 mission. Pending unlikely technical issues, the feed will be uninterrupted until the prelaunch broadcast begins on NASA+, approximately four hours prior to launch. Once the feed is live, find it online at: http://youtube.com/kscnewsroom
NASA Website Launch Coverage
Launch day coverage of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission will be available on the agency’s website. Coverage will include livestreaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 9:10 a.m. Sept. 28, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff.
For questions about countdown coverage, contact the Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on the commercial crew or Crew-9 blog.
Attend Launch Virtually
Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following a successful launch.
Watch, Engage on Social Media
Let people know you’re following the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtags #Crew9 and #NASASocial. You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts:
X: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASASocial, @Space_Station, @ISS_Research, @ISS National Lab, @SpaceX, @Commercial_Crew
Facebook: NASA, NASAKennedy, ISS, ISS National Lab
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @ISS, @ISSNationalLab, @SpaceX
Coverage en Espanol
Did you know NASA has a Spanish section called NASA en Espanol? Make sure to check out NASA en Espanol on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for more coverage on Crew-9.
Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo: 321-501-8425;antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov; o Messod Bendayan: 256-930-1371; messod.c.bendayan@nasa.gov.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program has delivered on its goal of safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station from the United States through a partnership with American private industry. This partnership is changing the arc of human spaceflight history by opening access to low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station to more people, more science, and more commercial opportunities. The space station remains the springboard to NASA’s next great leap in space exploration, including future missions to the Moon and, eventually, to Mars.
For NASA’s launch blog and more information about the mission, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
-end-
Joshua Finch / Jimi Russell
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / james.j.russell@nasa.gov
Steven Siceloff / Danielle Sempsrott / Stephanie Plucinsky
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
321-867-2468
steven.p.siceloff@nasa.gov / danielle.c.sempsrott@nasa.gov / stephanie.n.plucinsky@nasa.gov
Leah Cheshier
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
leah.d.cheshier@nasa.gov
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Last Updated Sep 25, 2024 LocationNASA Headquarters Related Terms
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By NASA
Manufacturing equipment that will be used to build components for NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for future Artemis missions is being installed at the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana. The tooling will be used to produce the SLS rocket’s advanced exploration upper stage, or EUS, in the factory’s new manufacturing area, picture here.NASA/Evan Deroche NASA Michoud Assembly facility technicians Cameron Shiro (foreground), Michael Roberts, and Tien Nguyen (background) install the strain gauge on the forward adapter barrel structural test article for the exploration upper stage of the SLS rocket. NASA/Eric Bordelon NASA Michoud Assembly facility quality inspectors Michael Conley (background) and Michael Kottemann perform Ultrasonic Test (UT) inspections on the mid-body V-Strut for a structural test article for the SLS rocket’s advanced exploration upper stage, or EUS, in the factory’s new manufacturing area. NASA/Evan Deroche Manufacturing equipment that will be used to build components for NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) rocket for future Artemis missions is being installed at the agency’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The novel tooling will be used to produce the SLS rocket’s advanced exploration upper stage, or EUS, in the factory’s new manufacturing area. The EUS will serve as the upper, or in-space, stage for all Block 1B and Block 2 SLS flights in both crew and cargo configurations.
In tandem, NASA and Boeing, the SLS lead contractor for the core stage and exploration upper stage, are producing structural test articles and flight hardware structures for the upper stage at Michoud and the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Early manufacturing is already underway at Michoud while preparations for an engine-firing test series for the upper stage are in progress at nearby Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
“The newly modified manufacturing space for the exploration upper stage signifies the start of production for the next evolution of SLS Moon rockets at Michoud,” said Hansel Gill, director at Michoud. “With Orion spacecraft manufacturing and SLS core stage assembly in flow at Michoud for the past several years, standing up a new production line and enhanced capability at Michoud for EUS is a significant achievement and a reason for anticipation and enthusiasm for Michoud and the SLS Program.”
The advanced upper stage for SLS is planned to make its first flight with Artemis IV and replaces the single-engine Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage (ICPS) that serves as the in-space stage on the initial SLS Block 1 configuration of the rocket. With its larger liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellant tanks feeding four L3 Harris Technologies- built RL10C-3 engines, the EUS generates nearly four times the thrust of the ICPS, providing unrivaled lift capability to the SLS Block 1B and Block 2 rockets and making a new generation of crewed lunar missions possible.
This upgraded and more powerful rocket will increase the SLS rocket’s payload to the Moon by 40%, from 27 metric tons (59,525 lbs.) with Block 1 to 38 metric tons (83,776 lbs.) in the crew configuration. Launching crewed missions along with other large payloads enables multiple large-scale objectives to be accomplished in a single mission.
Through the Artemis campaign, NASA will land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the Moon. The rocket is part of NASA’s deep space exploration plans, along with the Orion spacecraft, supporting ground systems, advanced spacesuits and rovers, Gateway in orbit around the Moon, and commercial human landing systems. NASA’s SLS is the only rocket that can send Orion, astronauts, and supplies to the Moon in a single launch.
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center manages the SLS Program and Michoud.
For more on SLS, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/space-launch-system
News Media Contact
Jonathan Deal
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Ala.
256-544-0034
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By NASA
Ruidoso, New Mexico lay in an unusual hush on June 20, 2024. During any normal summer day, the village in the southern part of the state lives up to the Spanish translation of its name — noisy.
But the bustle of this vacation hotspot, which attracts nearly 2 million visitors each year, was stifled by a mandatory evacuation order issued as wildfires raged unchecked across Lincoln County and the Mescalero Apache Reservation. After four days of fires, news of the disaster began spreading to surrounding communities.
Wildfires cast an orange haze over the Sierra Blanca mountain range in Ruidoso, New Mexico, on June 20, 2024. Image courtesy of James Herrera At NASA’s White Sands Test Facility (WSTF), Fire Department Deputy Chief James Herrera and his team were on high alert from the moment the blaze began.
“There were so many rumors, so many things going on,” Herrera said. “People were saying the town was completely burning down. We were expecting the worst before we even got there.”
Herrera’s expectations were realistic.
Tinderbox conditions, rough terrain, and winds reaching more than 70 miles per hour fueled the flames raging at the South Fork area west of Ruidoso, devouring nearly 5,000 acres just hours after the fire started.
As first responders expended every resource available to them both on the ground and in the air, a second fire — the Salt Fire — broke out on tribal land south of the village.
Now the twin infernos closed in on Ruidoso like a set of jaws poised to snap shut.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham quickly declared a state of emergency and the early whispers crescendoed into an urgent plea for aid from anyone who would listen.
There was no doubt in Herrera’s mind: WSTF, based 150 miles from Ruidoso in Las Cruces, New Mexico, would answer the call.
“Never once did [WSTF leadership] say ‘Sorry, we can’t help,’” he said. “They asked, ‘What can we do to help? How can we get there as soon as possible?’”
Shift changes made for an earliest possible departure at dawn on June 20. The WSTF Fire Department spent the night preparing their truck, gathering their belongings, and bracing for the uncertain.
“We didn’t know where we were going to sleep, there were no hotels, everything was closed,” Herrera said. “More than likely, we were going to end up sleeping in our engine.”
For the moment, rest was off the table.
“I’m not going to lie, we probably didn’t even sleep. I know I didn’t,” Herrera said. “I closed my eyes, and it was two o’clock in the morning. Time to get going.”
After checking in at the Incident Command Post, Herrera and the WSTF team — Lieutenant Gary Sida, firefighters Steven Olsson and Gabriel Rodriguez, and driver and engineer Tommy Montoya — were deployed to Ruidoso’s Casino Apache Travel Center off Highway 70.
Deputy Chief James Herrera (far left) and his crew (L-R) Driver/Operator Tommy Montoya, Firefighter Gabe Rodriguez (top), Lieutenant Gary Sida, and Firefighter Stephen Olsson return to a hero’s welcome at White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico. NASA/Anthony Luis Quiterio When Herrera and his four-man crew reached the edge of the deserted mountain town, the silence was more than unusual. It was unsettling, as heavy as the smoke suffocating the Sierra Blanca Peak.
“You could not see more than 100 feet,” Herrera said. “The only sign of life was all the fire agencies that were there. It was an eerie feeling.”
NASA’s arrival on scene brought a shift from anxiety to optimism and relief.
“There were tears in some of their eyes because we were showing up to help,” he said. “I could hear people saying, ‘What’s NASA doing here?’” He added, “One gentleman asked us how we got there. I joked that we drove the whole line from Kennedy Space Center.”
By the afternoon, the light-heartedness among comrades was extinguished as escalating winds charged the situation to a fever pitch. The fire, once perched atop the mountains, began hurling down in a landslide of embers, leaping across Highway 70, and forming a nearly complete ring of danger.
Breathing grew difficult as ground crews, with aerial units roaring overhead, battled a relentless assault of heat. WSTF Fire Department’s assignment evolved into an effort to protect anything and everything within reach. “It makes you realize how fast something can be taken away from you,” Herrera said.
The NASA WSTF Fire Department makes engine preparations along U.S. Route 70 at the Ruidoso border. Image courtesy of James Herrera Though disaster descended in an instant, the day itself had been long. Herrera and his team were released from duty after a grueling 12 hours spent providing critical support to wildland units and successfully protecting nearby buildings.
“Once it starts to calm down, you can feel your hands start to shake a little bit because this thing was getting out of control really fast,” Herrera said.
By the weekend, containment efforts were gaining ground thanks to the efforts of a combined 780-strong emergency response force. Eager to rebuild, Ruidoso residents trickled back in, but the village soon encountered another challenge: rain.
Following the South Fork and Salt fires — which claimed an estimated 25,000 acres, 1,400 structures, and two lives — monsoons battered Ruidoso. Throughout July, deluges washed over the region’s burn scars in an ironic insult to injury leaving people trapped in vehicles and homes underwater. As recently as Aug. 7, evacuations continued as the Ruidoso Police Department worked to preemptively clear the Cherokee Mobile Village due to past flash flooding in the area.
In this harsh landscape of crisis and aftermath, Herrera views mutual aid as more than a tactical response, but a vital investment.
“Building goodwill with the community is akin to cultivating fertile ground for growth and success,” he said. “I strongly feel it strengthens the bond between us and our community.”
With the wet season expected to continue through the end of September, Ruidoso’s forecast remains uncertain. Even as storm clouds gather, one thing is clear: if the call comes again, the WSTF Fire Department will always be ready to answer.
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By NASA
5 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Pacific Island nations such as Kiribati — a low-lying country in the southern Pacific Ocean — are preparing now for a future of higher sea levels.NASA Earth Observatory Climate change is rapidly reshaping a region of the world that’s home to millions of people.
In the next 30 years, Pacific Island nations such as Tuvalu, Kiribati, and Fiji will experience at least 8 inches (15 centimeters) of sea level rise, according to an analysis by NASA’s sea level change science team. This amount of rise will occur regardless of whether greenhouse gas emissions change in the coming years.
The sea level change team undertook the analysis of this region at the request of several Pacific Island nations, including Tuvalu and Kiribati, and in close coordination with the U.S. Department of State.
In addition to the overall analysis, the agency’s sea level team produced high-resolution maps showing which areas of different Pacific Island nations will be vulnerable to high-tide flooding — otherwise known as nuisance flooding or sunny day flooding — by the 2050s. Released on Sept. 23, the maps outline flooding potential in a range of emissions scenarios, from best-case to business-as-usual to worst-case.
“Sea level will continue to rise for centuries, causing more frequent flooding,” said Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, who directs ocean physics programs for NASA’s Earth Science Division. “NASA’s new flood tool tells you what the potential increase in flooding frequency and severity look like in the next decades for the coastal communities of the Pacific Island nations.”
Team members, led by researchers at the University of Hawaii and in collaboration with scientists at the University of Colorado and Virginia Tech, started with flood maps of Kiribati, Tuvalu, Fiji, Nauru, and Niue. They plan to build high-resolution maps for other Pacific Island nations in the near future. The maps can assist Pacific Island nations in deciding where to focus mitigation efforts.
“Science and data can help the community of Tuvalu in relaying accurate sea level rise projections,” said Grace Malie, a youth leader from Tuvalu who is involved with the Rising Nations Initiative, a United Nations-supported program led by Pacific Island nations to help preserve their statehood and protect the rights and heritage of populations affected by climate change. “This will also help with early warning systems, which is something that our country is focusing on at the moment.”
Future Flooding
The analysis by the sea level change team also found that the number of high-tide flooding days in an average year will increase by an order of magnitude for nearly all Pacific Island nations by the 2050s. Portions of the NASA team’s analysis were included in a sea level rise report published by the United Nations in August 2024.
Areas of Tuvalu that currently see less than five high-tide flood days a year could average 25 flood days annually by the 2050s. Regions of Kiribati that see fewer than five flood days a year today will experience an average of 65 flood days annually by the 2050s.
“I am living the reality of climate change,” said Malie. “Everyone (in Tuvalu) lives by the coast or along the coastline, so everyone gets heavily affected by this.”
Flooding on island nations can come from the ocean inundating land during storms or during exceptionally high tides, called king tides. But it can also result when saltwater intrudes into underground areas and pushes the water table to the surface. “There are points on the island where we will see seawater bubbling from beneath the surface and heavily flooding the area,” Malie added.
Matter of Location
Sea level rise doesn’t occur uniformly around the world. A combination of global and local conditions, such as the topography of a coastline and how glacial meltwater is distributed in the ocean, affects the amount of rise a particular region will experience.
“We’re always focused on the differences in sea level rise from one region to another, but in the Pacific, the numbers are surprisingly consistent,” said Ben Hamlington, a sea level researcher at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California and the agency’s sea level change science team lead.
The impacts of 8 inches (15 centimeters) of sea level rise will vary from country to country. For instance, some nations could experience nuisance flooding several times a year at their airport, while others might face frequent neighborhood flooding equivalent to being inundated for nearly half the year.
Researchers would like to combine satellite data on ocean levels with ground-based measurements of sea levels at specific points, as well as with better land elevation information. “But there’s a real lack of on-the-ground data in these countries,” said Hamlington. The combination of space-based and ground-based measurements can yield more precise sea level rise projections and improved understanding of the impacts to countries in the Pacific.
“The future of the young people of Tuvalu is already at stake,” said Malie. “Climate change is more than an environmental crisis. It is about justice, survival for nations like Tuvalu, and global responsibility.”
To explore the high-tide flooding maps for Pacific Island nations, go to:
https://sealevel.nasa.gov
News Media Contacts
Jane J. Lee / Andrew Wang
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-0307 / 626-379-6874
jane.j.lee@jpl.nasa.gov / andrew.wang@jpl.nasa.gov
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Last Updated Sep 25, 2024 Related Terms
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