The Orbiting Carbon Observatory, designed to measure how carbon dioxide gases in the Earth atmosphere, was launched early Tuesday on a Taurus rocket. However, due to separation problem in the satellite's protective fairing, the launch was a failure.
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory was designed to measure the distribution of carbon dioxide in the Earth/s atmosphere and to measure how it enters and leaves the atmosphere. The idea was to get an accurate measurement of carbon dioxide, considered a green house gas that causes global warming, thus giving world government's an idea of how to proceed with climate change policy.
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory was launched by a Taurus XL rocket at 1:55 AM from Vandenberg Air Force Base. At first the flight seemed picture perfect. Then flight controllers noticed that the satellite's fairing or protective shield had failed to separate properly.
The failure of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory is a blow to the Obama administration's new emphasis for NASA to study the Earth's environment. Both the FY2009 omnibus spending bill and the Obama stimulus bill gave increases in funding to NASA's Earth science program.
The Japanese have successfully launched the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) on an H-2A rocket which has a similar mission to the Orbiting Carbon Observatory. GOSAT will measure the density of both carbon dioxide and methane across the entire Earth, giving scientists a better idea of the distribution and amount of green houses gasses in the Earth's atmosphere.
Neither the Orbiting Carbon Observatory nor GOSAT would be able to answer two fundamental questions that have divided scientists about global warming or climate change.
The first question is to what extent, if any, is the Earth actually warming? Despite the pronouncements of politicians such as former Vice President Al Gore that the debate is "over", opinions vary within the climate change community. Some measurements actually suggest that the Earth is now in a cooling period.
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory was designed to measure the distribution of carbon dioxide in the Earth/s atmosphere and to measure how it enters and leaves the atmosphere. The idea was to get an accurate measurement of carbon dioxide, considered a green house gas that causes global warming, thus giving world government's an idea of how to proceed with climate change policy.
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory was launched by a Taurus XL rocket at 1:55 AM from Vandenberg Air Force Base. At first the flight seemed picture perfect. Then flight controllers noticed that the satellite's fairing or protective shield had failed to separate properly.
The failure of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory is a blow to the Obama administration's new emphasis for NASA to study the Earth's environment. Both the FY2009 omnibus spending bill and the Obama stimulus bill gave increases in funding to NASA's Earth science program.
The Japanese have successfully launched the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) on an H-2A rocket which has a similar mission to the Orbiting Carbon Observatory. GOSAT will measure the density of both carbon dioxide and methane across the entire Earth, giving scientists a better idea of the distribution and amount of green houses gasses in the Earth's atmosphere.
Neither the Orbiting Carbon Observatory nor GOSAT would be able to answer two fundamental questions that have divided scientists about global warming or climate change.
The first question is to what extent, if any, is the Earth actually warming? Despite the pronouncements of politicians such as former Vice President Al Gore that the debate is "over", opinions vary within the climate change community. Some measurements actually suggest that the Earth is now in a cooling period.
Comments
Very interesting article.
It was sabotaged by Rush Limbaugh to keep the truth of global warming from the public. Don your foil hats!
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