Latest news with #satellite
The Verge
20 minutes ago
- Science
- The Verge
Google calls its new AI model a 'virtual satellite.'
Posted Jul 30, 2025 at 2:37 PM UTC Google calls its new AI model a 'virtual satellite.' Called AlphaEarth Foundations, the model stitches together data from actual satellite images, radar, climate simulations, and more to map Earth's land and coastal waters. 'The Satellite Embedding dataset is revolutionizing our work by helping countries map uncharted ecosystems - this is crucial for pinpointing where to focus their conservation efforts,' Nick Murray, director of the James Cook University Global Ecology Lab and Global Science Lead of Global Ecosystems Atlas, said in a Google DeepMind blog post. Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates. Justine Calma Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Justine Calma Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All AI Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Environment Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Google Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Science Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Satellite launched by India and Nasa will track changes to Earth's land and ice
Nasa and India have teamed up to launch an Earth-mapping satellite capable of tracking the slightest shifts in land and ice. The 1.3 billion dollar (£980 million) mission will help forecasters and first responders stay one step ahead of floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions and other disasters, according to scientists. Rocketing to orbit from India, the satellite will survey virtually all of Earth's terrain multiple times. Its two radars — one from the US and the other from India — will operate day and night, peering through clouds, rain and foliage to collect troves of data in extraordinary detail. Microwave signals beamed down to Earth from the dual radars will bounce back up to the satellite's super-sized antenna reflector perched at the end of a boom like a beach umbrella. Scientists will compare the incoming and outgoing signals as the spacecraft passes over the same locations twice every 12 days, teasing out changes as small as a fraction of an inch. It's 'a first-of-its-kind, jewel radar satellite that will change the way we study our home planet and better predict a natural disaster before it strikes,' Nasa's science mission chief Nicky Fox said ahead of liftoff. Ms Fox led a small Nasa delegation to India for the launch. It will take a week to extend the satellite's 30ft boom and open the 39ft-in-diameter drum-shaped reflector made of gold-plated wire mesh. Science operations should begin by the end of October. Among the satellite's most pressing measurements: melting glaciers and polar ice sheets; shifting groundwater supplies; motion and stress of land surfaces prompting landslides and earthquakes; and forest and wetland disruptions boosting carbon dioxide and methane emissions. Nasa is contributing 1.2 billion dollars (£900 million) to the three-year mission – it supplied the low-frequency radar and reflector. The Indian Space Research Organisation's 91 million dollar (£68 million) share includes the higher-frequency radar and main satellite structure, as well as the launch from a barrier island in the Bay of Bengal. It is the biggest space collaboration between the two countries. The satellite called Nisar — short for Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar — will operate from a near-polar-circling orbit 464 miles high. It will join dozens of Earth observation missions already in operation by the US and India.
BreakingNews.ie
2 hours ago
- Science
- BreakingNews.ie
Satellite launched by India and Nasa will track changes to Earth's land and ice
Nasa and India have teamed up to launch an Earth-mapping satellite capable of tracking the slightest shifts in land and ice. The 1.3 billion dollar (£980 million) mission will help forecasters and first responders stay one step ahead of floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions and other disasters, according to scientists. Advertisement Rocketing to orbit from India, the satellite will survey virtually all of Earth's terrain multiple times. Its two radars — one from the US and the other from India — will operate day and night, peering through clouds, rain and foliage to collect troves of data in extraordinary detail. Our Earth science fleet just got... NISAR. Shortly after launch on an @ISRO rocket, the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar spacecraft successfully separated from its ride to orbit. We'd say this satellite is more than nice, it's great. 😎 Find out why at… — NASA (@NASA) July 30, 2025 Microwave signals beamed down to Earth from the dual radars will bounce back up to the satellite's super-sized antenna reflector perched at the end of a boom like a beach umbrella. Scientists will compare the incoming and outgoing signals as the spacecraft passes over the same locations twice every 12 days, teasing out changes as small as a fraction of an inch. It's 'a first-of-its-kind, jewel radar satellite that will change the way we study our home planet and better predict a natural disaster before it strikes,' Nasa's science mission chief Nicky Fox said ahead of liftoff. Advertisement Ms Fox led a small Nasa delegation to India for the launch. It will take a week to extend the satellite's 30ft boom and open the 39ft-in-diameter drum-shaped reflector made of gold-plated wire mesh. Science operations should begin by the end of October. The Nisar satellite at the Indian Space Research Organisation's Satish Dhawan Space Centre (Indian Space Research Organisation/Nasa/AP) Among the satellite's most pressing measurements: melting glaciers and polar ice sheets; shifting groundwater supplies; motion and stress of land surfaces prompting landslides and earthquakes; and forest and wetland disruptions boosting carbon dioxide and methane emissions. Nasa is contributing 1.2 billion dollars (£900 million) to the three-year mission – it supplied the low-frequency radar and reflector. Advertisement The Indian Space Research Organisation's 91 million dollar (£68 million) share includes the higher-frequency radar and main satellite structure, as well as the launch from a barrier island in the Bay of Bengal. It is the biggest space collaboration between the two countries. The satellite called Nisar — short for Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar — will operate from a near-polar-circling orbit 464 miles high. It will join dozens of Earth observation missions already in operation by the US and India.
Bloomberg
2 hours ago
- Science
- Bloomberg
US and Indian Space Agencies Launch Earth-Observation Satellite
The US and India launched a co-developed satellite that will deliver data to support natural disaster response efforts, a mission underscoring India's efforts to broaden its international partnerships and become a global space leader. The NASA - Indian Space Research Organisation Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite (Nisar) lifted off on Wednesday at 5:40 p.m. local time from India's Satish Dhawan Space Centre aboard a rocket from ISRO.
Washington Post
3 hours ago
- Science
- Washington Post
Radar satellite launched by India and NASA will track miniscule changes to Earth's land and ice
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA and India paired up to launch an Earth-mapping satellite on Wednesday capable of tracking even the slightest shifts in land and ice. The $1.3 billion mission will help forecasters and first responders stay one step ahead of floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions and other disasters , according to scientists.
