At the end of July, NASA Administrator and former US senator Bill Nelson visited INPE (the Brazilian space research center) to propose extending US satellite partnerships to monitor and prevent Amazon rainforest destruction.
The satellite, called NISAR, which is set to launch with India in January, will have the capability to render images of activities below the Amazon rainforest canopy. The satellite will be able to detect undergrowth burning and potential threats to large trees. Brazil depends on satellite imagery to monitor the Amazon, but cloud cover often obstructs precise and timely images. This project is close to Bill Nelson's heart because during his spaceflight 37 years ago, he observed the destruction of the Amazon rainforest with the naked eye, noticing the changes in colors visible from his spacecraft window.
Source: REUTERS