NASA launches satellite to track Earth's melting ice
Washington, Sep 15 : In a bid to understand Earth's ice sheets, glaciers, sea ice, snow cover and permafrost, NASA on Saturday successfully launched its Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite-2, or ICESat-2.
The satellite with a three-year mission was launched at 9.02 a.m EDT on September 15, with liftoff aboard a Delta II rocket from Space Launch Complex-2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.
"Today was the #Delta II's final launch! ULALaunch used the last #Delta II rocket for the 9:02 a.m EDT liftoff of NASA_ICE's #ICESat2 this morning. Once on orbit, #ICESat2 will measure the thickness of Earth's polar ice sheets," the US space agency said in a tweet.
NASA had earlier in the day said the weather is favourable for the launch.
"The forecast remains 100 per cent 'go' on all constraints," Lt. Daniel Smith of Launch Weather Officer said while briefing the team on forecast.
It also carries twin ELFIN CubeSats
"Today's #ICESat2 launch comes with a bonus -- a pair of tiny satellites that will study how energetic electrons make their way into our atmosphere from space," NASA tweeted.
The Delta II rocket, in use since 1989, has a stellar track record. It has launched 154 times, carrying payloads aloft for NASA, the US military and commercial clients.
ICESat-2 is NASA's most advanced Laser instrument -- the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System, or ATLAS.
It measures height by precisely timing how long it takes individual photons of light from a Laser to leave the satellite, bounce off Earth and return to the satellite.
The satellite will provide critical observations of how ice sheets, glaciers and sea ice are changing, leading to insights into how these changes impact people where they live, NASA said.
ICESat-2's orbit will make 1,387 unique ground tracks around Earth in 91 days and then start the same ground pattern again at the beginning.
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Fadnavis, Shinde, Pawar? Speculation rises over CM post as Mahayuti heads for landslide win in Maha
Mumbai: With counting still underway for Maharashtra's 288 Assembly constituencies, early trends show the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is heading for a landslide victory. Meanwhile, speculation is intensifying over who will lead the state government.
The BJP’s seat tally is projected to rise significantly from 105 in 2019 to around 125, commanding its role as the dominant member in the alliance, with a staggering strike rate of 84%.
BJP spokesperson Pravin Darekar expressed that Devendra Fadnavis, a two-term Chief Minister, might reclaim the top post, describing the results as “overwhelming.” However, Shiv Sena spokesperson Sheetal Mhatare argued for continuity, advocating for current Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to retain the role.
BJP leader Keshav Upadhaye emphasized that the election outcome reflects the people's vote for development, but he noted that many party workers favor Fadnavis as the Chief Minister.
Adding to the drama, NCP leader Ajit Pawar, a Deputy Chief Minister in the current government, has also emerged as a potential contender. His wife, Sunetra Pawar, publicly expressed her desire to see him as Maharashtra's Chief Minister, further fueling discussions within the coalition.
