WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - NASA has deployed two pathfinding missions into low-Earth orbit, where they are demonstrating novel technologies for observing atmospheric gases, measuring freshwater, and detecting signs of potential volcanic eruptions.
The Hyperspectral Thermal Imager (HyTI) is measuring trace gases linked to volcanic eruptions. HyTI, a 6U CubeSat the size of a shoebox, could pave the way for future missions dedicated to detecting volcanic eruptions weeks or months in advance.
The Signals of Opportunity P-Band Investigation (SNoOPI), a low-noise radio receiver, tests a new technique for measuring root-zone soil moisture by harnessing radio signals produced by commercial satellites - a big job for a 6U CubeSat.
Both instruments were launched on March 21 from NASA'S Cape Canaveral Space Force Station to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX's Dragon cargo spacecraft as part of the company's 30th commercial resupply mission. On April 21, the instruments were released into orbit from the station.
'I study volcanoes from space to try and work out when they're going to start and stop erupting,' said Robert Wright, director of the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology at the University of Hawai?i at Manoa and the principal investigator for HyTI.
Hyperspectral imagers like HyTI measure a broad spectrum of thermal radiation signatures, and they're particularly useful for characterizing gases in low concentrations. Wright and his team hope HyTI will help them quantify concentrations of sulfur dioxide in the atmosphere around volcanoes.
Weeks or even months before they erupt, volcanoes often emit increased amounts of sulfur dioxide and other trace gases. Measuring those gases could indicate an impending eruption HyTI's sensitivity to thermal radiation will also be useful for observing water vapor and convection.
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