News

Rocket Lab has announced that it will launch two small satellites for NASA as part of the PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission. These satellites aim to gather data on the emissions of far-infrared energy at Earth’s poles, particularly from the massive ice shelves. This data will help scientists better understand the impact of a warming climate on these regions.

The two satellites, each about the size of a bread loaf, will carry a miniaturized instrument called a thermal IR spectrometer. By comparing the emitted energy data with information on cloud cover and sea ice levels, scientists hope to develop more accurate climate models.

The launches are scheduled for May 2024 and will be conducted using Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket from their launch site in New Zealand. The near-polar orbits of the satellites will allow them to collect data for a minimum of 10 months. Rocket Lab’s unique ability to deploy small satellite missions on responsive timelines enables them to meet the specific requirements of this mission.

NASA awarded the launch contract to Rocket Lab as part of its Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) program. This program aims to put NASA payloads on commercial rockets and has a budget of 0 million over five years.

These upcoming launches will be the seventh and eighth that Rocket Lab has conducted for NASA since 2018. Earlier this year, Rocket Lab successfully launched four storm-watching satellites for the space agency under the VADR program.

The exact value of the launch contract has not been disclosed.

The post Rocket Lab to Launch Satellites for NASA to Study Polar Ice Shelves appeared first on satProviders.