SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Satellite To Monitor Air Pollution On Earth, Every Hour

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F​or the first time ever, scientists can measure air pollution on Earth once an hour.

A​ satellite launched from Florida Friday on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is carrying sensors that will take high-resolution measurements of ozone, nitrogen dioxide and other pollutants on Earth.

The project is a joint effort between NASA and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. It's official name is Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution, or TEMPO for short.

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"TEMPO's going to measure a number of key air quality constituents that tell us things about impacts on human health, agriculture and our environment," E​rika Wright, with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, said during the pre-launch broadcast.

The satellite will orbit 22,000 feet above Earth. It's geostationary, meaning it's orbital speed matches Earth's rotation. That gives TEMPO the opportunity to take measurements of North America once every hour while the sun is up.

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T​EMPO data will be publicly available online, so people anywhere can access it.

"That data is going to tell them things about their local backyard, so they can look up what's happening outside today and maybe what's going on outside today," Wright said. "And maybe even make decisions: Do I want to go for a run today? Is the air quality a little bad today?"

A​ir pollution is connected to a host of health problems, and the American Lung Association says 40% of people in the U.S. live in a place where air quality is frequently poor.

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