By SciTechDaily.com May 23, 2024NASAs PREFIRE mission, in cooperation with Rocket Lab, is now rescheduled for no earlier than May 25 due to unfavorable climate condition at the launch website in Mahia, New Zealand. The missions goal is to deploy two CubeSats into near-polar orbits to investigate thermal energy loss from the Arctic and Antarctica, with a 2nd launch planned following the. Credit: NASANASA and Rocket Lab have held off the launch of NASAs PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission to no earlier than Saturday, May 25, due to an extreme weather system impacting Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The team will stand by till the weather clears.The mission intends to release 2 CubeSats into asynchronous, near-polar orbits to investigate the amount of Earths heat lost to area from the Arctic and Antarctica. Following the successful release of the very first CubeSat, a second launch will be scheduled.This artists principle illustrates one of 2 PREFIRE CubeSats in orbit around Earth. The NASA mission will measure the quantity of far-infrared radiation the worlds polar regions shed to area– information thats crucial to understanding Earths energy balance. Credit: NASA/JPL-CaltechPREFIRE, which represents Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment, is a NASA objective designed to examine Earths thermal energy dynamics, particularly focusing on how much heat is lost to area from the Arctic and Antarctica. The objective utilizes two CubeSats, little research satellites, which are deployed into asynchronous, near-polar orbits.By measuring the far-infrared radiant energy discharged from these polar areas, PREFIRE aims to enhance our understanding of Earths energy balance and contribute important data to environment science, especially in regards to understanding and predicting changes in polar ice and cloud characteristics. The information gathered by PREFIRE will likewise help enhance environment models, providing a more accurate prediction of future environment circumstances.
