Tag Archives: Sleeping Weather

Weather and climate Orbit levelLow (around 800 kilometres above Earth)How many are there? About 40The satellite recently destroyed by China was one of the thousands of disused (or “sleeping”) weather satellites in low- Earth orbit. Satellite-borne instruments have allowed researchers to track weather patterns, changes in sea levels and the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. When the Orbiting Carbon Observatory ( below) lifts off in 2008, it will be the first Nasa spacecraft designed to make precise measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide from an Earth-orbiting satellite. Ability to track retreating polar ice, shifting patterns of drought, winds and rainfall and other environmental changes is “at great risk” because of faltering efforts to replace satellite- borne sensors. “Nasa has prioritised its missions, starting with a manned flight to Mars, then the establishing of a permanent base on the moon. Examining our own planet sadly comes last,” says F Sherwood Read more…