New NASA air pollution satellite: See the first images from the ‘game-changing’ technology

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — NASA scientists last week unveiled the first images created with data from the new air pollution satellite it launched into space earlier this year, offering the first glimpse at the extent of major pollutants across North America.

The first images — showcasing the proliferation of nitrogen dioxide, a chemical created from a range of sources, including combustion for transportation — show stark changes in pollutant levels over major cities, including New York.

NASA’s TEMPO, short for Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution, is the first space-based instrument designed to constantly measure air quality over North America. Experts said the technology has the capabilities of seeing pollutant information with an accuracy of a few square miles.

“Neighborhoods and communities across the country will benefit from TEMPO’s game-changing data for decades to come,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a press release. “This summer, millions of Americans felt firsthand the effect of smoke from forest fires on our health. NASA and the Biden-Harris Administration are committed to making it easier for everyday Americans and decision makers to access and use TEMPO data to monitor and improve the quality of the air we breathe, benefitting life here on Earth.”

NASA TEMPO is orbiting about 22,000 miles above the equator, according to NASA, and is taking observations on an hourly basis. It measures sunlight levels reflecting off the Earth’s surface, clouds and atmosphere, which are absorbed by gases, allowing the instrument to precisely measure concentrations of multiple pollutants in the air.

Two maps covering the East Coast, separated by just a few hours, show significant changes in nitrogen dioxide levels, spurred by alterations in traffic patterns. Similar differences were observed in high-density areas along the West Coast.

“TEMPO is beginning to…