Climate Sensor to Fly on Satellite

This is certainly good news. A previously slashed instrument has been reapproved for inclusion to the NPOESS satellite scheduled for launch in 2013.

NOAA, the U.S. Air Force and NASA agreed this week to restore the Total Solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS) to the first NPOESS (National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System). Set to launch in 2013, NPOESS is a new civil/military satellite system that will monitor the Earth’s weather, atmosphere, oceans, land and near-space environment. The mission will monitor the planet and providing data for long-range weather and climate forecast models.

TSIS will measure the total amount of solar radiation that comes into the earth’s atmosphere- a key data point and factor in climate change.

As mentioned, scientists need those high quality data for inclusion in models. A number of climate change denyers didn’t want that sensor to fly: it’s easier to say something isn’t happening if nobody can measure it accurately. I am very pleased this sensor is once again being included.