NASA’s Environmental Satellites “In Crisis”
The Houston Chronicle is reporting that mismanagement and cuts to NASA’s environmental satellite program will have serious impacts beyond climate research. Recently labeled “a program in crisis” by the Government Accountability Office, NASA’s cuts, cancellations, and failures will diminish our ability to prepare for and respond to extreme weather events. Implications include “a period of several years when scientists have no access to the accurate global precipitation measurements that help them improve hurricane forecasts and predict the severity of droughts and flooding.” The Chronicle details other immediate and potential impacts. Which all begs us to ask, if we can’t find the money, can we cancel that manned mission to Mars?