— We know that the earth’s water cycle is accelerating with climate change. This means that some places have too much water, others don’t have enough, says Benjamin Hamlington, scientist at the US space agency Nasa, and continues:
— We see more extreme droughts, more extreme floods, precipitation patterns are changing and becoming more volatile. It is really important that we try to understand exactly what is happening.
The satellite – a billion-dollar project developed jointly by Nasa and France’s counterpart CNES – lifted off on a Space X rocket from Vandenberg Space Base.
The satellite will measure the water level of seas, rivers and lakes in areas that make up more than 90 percent of the Earth’s surface. In about six months, it will begin collecting scientific data, according to a statement from Nasa.
“The satellite will give us revolutionary advances in our understanding of how water moves around our planet,” said Karen St Germain, director of NASA’s Earth Sciences Division, in the statement, adding that this kind of detail has not been seen before.
She also says this should help predict floods in areas with too much water, and predict droughts in areas with water shortages.
The project is planned to last for just over three years, but can be extended.