📷 Image Credits: BroadcastProME.com
Rocket Lab has launched the first of two consecutive missions for NASA’s PREFIRE, a climate change-focused initiative. The mission, titled ‘Ready, Aim, PREFIRE,’ took off from Rocket Lab Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand, deploying the first of two satellites into a 525km circular Low Earth Orbit. Following this deployment, the second satellite is scheduled for launch on a dedicated Electron mission named ‘PREFIRE and Ice,’ with the launch date to be confirmed early this week. The PREFIRE mission’s success hinges on Rocket Lab’s capability to deliver dedicated launches to precise orbits on demand. Each satellite is equipped with a thermopile device to measure heat loss at far-infrared wavelengths, a metric that has never been systematically measured before. This data will enhance climate and ice models, offering better predictions of future sea levels and weather patterns. The launch marks Rocket Lab’s 48th Electron mission and the sixth launch of 2024. The CubeSats from the PREFIRE mission will measure how much heat is lost from Earth’s polar regions. The data collected will help in predicting sea ice loss, ice sheet melt, and sea level rise, creating a better understanding of how our planet’s system will change in the coming years. The mission requires two satellites to follow similar trajectories along different paths, overlapping every few hours near the Arctic and Antarctica to capture accurate heat loss measurements. This launch signifies a key step in understanding Earth’s energy balance and how it impacts climate change. Stay tuned for more updates on Rocket Lab’s groundbreaking missions on HeadlineFly.com.
