NASA Produces Pollution Monitoring Images of US

NASA’s TEMPO (Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution) instrument, which was launched into space earlier this year, has successfully started transmitting data about major air pollutants over North America. The data from TEMPO will help decision-makers monitor and improve air quality, aligning with President Biden’s commitment to clean air and the administration’s climate agenda. TEMPO, the first space-based instrument designed for continuous air quality measurement above North America, orbits 22,000 miles above the equator and provides high-resolution data about air pollution.

It will aid in studying pollution from various sources, such as traffic, wildfires, and farming, as well as assessing health impacts and creating neighborhood-level air pollution maps. The mission is a collaboration between NASA and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and will contribute to improving air quality understanding and monitoring efforts. TEMPO will fully commence operations in October 2023.