Hasta La Ideas

Headed to space today (with weather permitting), the GOES-T satellite and its arsenal of high-resolution cameras will track storms, wildfires and more in real time across North America. The National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NAOA) partnered with NASA to design and construct the satellite, which already has siblings in space. In contrast to previous satellites of this nature, which mostly trek through low Earth orbit, GOES-T will rise up to 22,000 miles (“about a 10th of the way to the moon,” according to Wired). This will allow scientists to observe ozone as well as atmospheric phenomena and space weather. Read more about the tracking program and its retired satellites at Wired.

Image courtesy of Kim Shiflett/NASA