What is the field of instrument development all about?
Instrument Development is a field that focuses on designing, building, calibrating, and flight testing remote sensing instruments, which are then often mounted onto aircraft or satellites. Researchers use these instruments for collecting data to measure variations in environmental conditions, assess global change, and respond to natural disasters such as wildfires and volcanic eruptions.
Why is it important?
Remote sensing instruments allow scientists to observe and measure the ocean, land and atmosphere in places that are hard to reach (such as a marine refuge in the middle of the ocean) or dangerous for humans to enter (such as a wildfire). These instruments can also see more wavelengths of light than the human eye, providing unique insight into factors such as the health of forest ecosystems, the amount of water evaporating from farmland and river systems, animal migration patterns, and the amount of air pollution in a city.
Instrument Development Missions & Projects
Instruments are an integral part of almost every mission and project at NASA.
Instruments may be mounted on satellites, aboard airplanes or drones, deployed from the ground, or used on a combination of platforms. Many of the instruments used by Ames scientists are built and maintained right here on center, and play a critical role in creating a deeper understanding of our world.
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