A new satellite has been launched to monitor the rising sea levels caused by climate change, in a collaboration including the NASA and the European Space Agency.
The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, is going to measure sea-surface height, wave-height and windspeed using radar altimetry. This provides information about the ocean surface height in relation to mean sea level. Using this data will help scientists worldwide track climate patterns, improve hurricane forecasts and understand ocean currents.
Encapsulation Complete ?
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ocean-monitoring satellite, prepping for #SeeingTheSeas, has been successfully encapsulated in @SpaceX's Falcon 9 payload fairing and is on target for launch on Nov. 21, at 12:17 p.m. ET | 9:17 a.m. PT. pic.twitter.com/huyFXGrdBz
— NASA's Launch Services Program (@NASA_LSP) November 5, 2020
“Sea level rise is accelerating”, says a Senior Scientist. “Eleven of the fifteen largest megacities are located on the coast”, she added. The number of people living in coastal areas is expected to double by 2060, as a result of population growth and further urbanisation in the coastal zone. The satellite, which was named after Michael Freilich, former head of NASA’s Earth Science Division, is due to be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California in November.
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