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Spotlight on space
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New weather satellite. From more than 22,000 miles above Earth, a new US weather satellite will beam back the most detailed images available of the planet’s Western Hemisphere, improving weather forecasting. The satellite’s advanced capabilities allow it to track and monitor tropical storms, hurricanes, wildfires, and other extreme events. It can also trace the path of lightning in real time. The satellite and its predecessor, which was launched in 2016, will together end up exploring over half of the Earth. [CNN] |
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Europe’s space plan. Europe has unveiled a $6.8 billion satellite communications plan, as it looks to become less reliant on foreign companies and ensure the security of its communications systems and surveillance data. The plan is to construct a connectivity system in space to provide protection against threats such as cyberattacks and make the region’s electronic communications infrastructure more resilient. [Reuters] |
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Tracking locusts. Satellites provide visual imagery and data that help industries around the globe, says Peter Platzer, CEO of Spire Global, a data and analytics company that operates more than 100 satellites. “A couple of years ago, a huge locust swarm was destroying crops in Africa. By combining our data with other information, such as rainfall levels, we could not just track but predict where the swarm would go,” explains Platzer. Governments also use data collected by “listening satellites”—which employ radio frequencies to observe the Earth—to develop increasingly accurate weather prediction models. |
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Less costly launches. In the past five to ten years, there’s been an explosion in the number of companies—especially start-ups—launching space-based applications, says Platzer. That’s largely because it’s now easier and cheaper to launch a satellite. For instance, launch costs for large structures are about half of what they used to be, he adds. Check out the full interview for what the future of space holds—and what it takes to succeed in an increasingly competitive space ecosystem. |
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| — Edited by Arshiya Khullar |
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