Environmental satellites are rapidly failing

[Saru 5,087]

The failure of older instruments and the lack of replacements could lead to future 'climate blindness'.

Our eyes around Earth are seeing less. US environmental satellites that helped forecasters predict superstorm Sandy are failing. By 2020, the fleet could have just a quarter of the sensors it has today.

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[pukin Rainbows24-7 44]

i think it happens because of the activity of the sun

[Rlyeh 10,234]

i think it happens because of the activity of the sun

I doubt the sun would only pick one type of satellite to affect.

[Majikwayz 8]

we need to get on it....get some more up there quick!!

[questionmark 11,357]

It happens because there is no money to replace the older ones, all satellites have a limited life.

[richardlivo 4]

They should stop wasting money on killing each other for power. All going to be screwed for the sake of a few thousand people

[Babe Ruth 4,839]

Yes, priorities are priorities. We don't need to support our infrastructure, we have many illegitimate and unnecessary wars to wage. Military satellites are OK. We don't need no stinkin' environmental satellites!

[IamLegend 55]

i think it happens because of the activity of the sun

The sun has been startlingly inactive recently.

[Ashotep 13,713]

The sun has been startlingly inactive recently.

Wonder if its getting ready for a big one.

[Doug1o29 3,639]

Interestingly enough, the claims of cooling in the troposphere from a few years ago that Little Fish was so excited about, were due to a failure to compensate for orbital decay of the satellites. This was discovered and corrected, but Little Fish's sources still haven't update their propaganda.

Climate satellites are actaully quite cheap compared to others. It isn't the cost that's the problem: it's the efforts of scientific illiterates, like Oklahoma's Inhofe, and their support by BIG OIL (among others) that is preventing deployment (Most of the instrumentation alrwady exists.).

Doug

[Von Bismarck 82]

Well you don't have to worry. A rebutal to this paper will soon be out as this is totally nonsense.

I know for a fact that EOS are lanuching 19 new satelites in the near future.

NOAA got a 7% increase in the budget for new satelites. And I know they are sending 2 up within the next 3-4 years.

[Doug1o29 3,639]

Well you don't have to worry. A rebutal to this paper will soon be out as this is totally nonsense.

I know for a fact that EOS are lanuching 19 new satelites in the near future.

NOAA got a 7% increase in the budget for new satelites. And I know they are sending 2 up within the next 3-4 years.

There's also the problem that NASA for some strange reason, prefers big, expensive satellites to small cheaper ones. Don't understand that. Maybe it's got something to do with keeping their technicians employed.

Doug

[Professor T 2,267]

i think it happens because of the activity of the sun

Quite probably true..

While most are sheilded against X-rays and EM radiation, this year we've had I think about 3 X-class solar flares which bombard them with damaging electro-magnetic radiation.. This damages sensitive electronics..