The news and the buzz are right! NASA is extending its contract with Planet Labs. It is a leading provider of insights and data about Earth to NASA. This step was taken under the CSDA – Commercial Small Sat Data Acquisition Program, 2023. Keep reading on as we outline every essential update on this contract extension.
You see, Planet has been responsible for providing confidential data to both NASA scientists and federally funded researchers under CSDA since 2018. And the organization looks forward to continuing to assist NASA’s research for changing climatic conditions.
Today, all the researchers funded by the National Science Foundation and the US Federal Civilian agencies can access the data shared by Planet. Apart from this, their grantees and contractors can also utilize the insights given by Planet for better planning.
In other words, hundreds of scientists are relying on the data provided by Planet to understand the effects of sudden climate change in the world. They also use the insights to study changing ecosystems, biodiversity loss, and disaster response.
Moreover, many small-scale businesses are also eager to contribute to this initiative through innovative business ideas. Entrepreneurs who wish to work at the grassroots level can consider researching small business ideas for rural areas. To support them SBA has come up with lucrative micro and women-owned business grants in 2022.
You would be surprised to know that Planet creates a massive database with the help of a fleet of 200 satellites. Together with other global organizations, Planet works to develop feasible solutions to ever-evolving and complex sustainability challenges.
The world has continued to experience drastic climate change and higher biodiversity loss in the past few years. It calls for the need to have efficient tools to handle these changes. By extending the contract with Planet, NASA intends to delve deeper into the main causes of this phenomenon. The organization believes working together will give them a better edge in averting upcoming planetary emergencies.
CSDA users, in the last year, downloaded data that is over five times the size of the Earth’s landmass to create a comprehensive database for their research and studies. From exploring the harmful sargassum blizzard on Florida beaches to monitoring the effects on the food supply due to the Ukraine war, mapping the areas affected by wildfires, and tracking the suddenly changed activities of walruses in Alaska, these researchers are not leaving any stone unturned to protect the Earth’s crucial ecosystem.
Conclusion
This was all about NASA extending its contract with Planet Labs. The concept of climatic change is deeper than what we hear on television and read in newspapers. Scientists are working 24*7 to identify the major causes and stop them before they lead us to destruction. The high-impact data provided by Planet plays a vital role in all these processes.
In other words, it is the foundation on which an organization like NASA validates its actions and plans. So, by extending the contract with Planet, NASA aims to make the changes actionable, accessible, and visible. People who want more insight into this can visit the official page of NASA and Planet.
