Page 196 - International Space Station Benefits for Humanity, 3rd edition.

systems on the space station have responded to The Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor
235 IDC activations, with data collected for 63 of (TSIS)-1 mission collects data on the sun’s energy
those events by either astronauts or ground- output. These data increase our understanding of
commanded sensors (or both). In addition, the how much energy input the sun provides to the Earth
space station participates in the NASA Earth Science geophysical system, and also how the atmosphere
Disasters Program (https://disasters.nasa.gov/) responds to changes in solar output. Such knowledge
for response to other disaster-related events that is critical to improving global climate change models.
do not require IDC activation. The ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer
The following NASA Earth observation instruments Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) mission
and facilities are now aboard and operational on thermal infrared sensor that collects data on plant
the space station. evapotranspiration processes. These data will allow
The Window Observational Research Facility us to monitor how regional plant stress is changing
(WORF) provides a highly stable, internal mounting due to global climate change.
platform to hold cameras and sensors steady
while offering power, command, data and cooling
connections. Currently, the WORF hosts the Meteor
instrument that is obtaining the first space-based
observations of the chemical composition of
meteors entering Earth’s atmosphere. These data
will improve our understanding of the processes
that formed our solar system.
The Crew Earth Observations (CEO) Facility
includes Earth imagery taken by crew members
using handheld digital cameras. This imagery
supports disaster response, scientific investigations
by a variety of external Principal Investigators (such
as the Tropical Cyclone project), and commercial
endeavors under the auspices of the ISS
National Laboratory.
The High-Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV) camera
mission includes four different commercial, high-
definition cameras on the Columbus External Facility.
This ongoing investigation is assessing camera
quality while taking Earth imagery and the hardware’s
ability to survive and function in the extreme thermal
and radioactive environment of low-Earth orbit.
The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment
(SAGE)-III mission investigates the vertical distribution
of ozone, trace gases and aerosols in Earth’s
stratosphere and troposphere. These measure-
ments will improve our understanding of ozone
generation and destruction processes in the upper
atmosphere, and how climate change is impacting
those processes.
The Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) mission
obtains global measurements of the amount,
rate and radiant energy of lightning from orbit. Photo of Patagonian Ice Fields clouds taken
This information provides a link between geophysical by the Expedition 43 crew from the WORF
processes and thunderstorms, thereby improving using a zoom lens.
knowledge of how these interactions affect weather, Image credit: NASA
climate, lightning physics and atmospheric chemistry.

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