SMD-Sponsored Technologies Infused into Third Set of Earth Venture Instruments
This blog post originated in the 2016 Science Mission Directorate Technology Highlights Report (20 MB PDF). Technology Infusion In March 2016, NASA announced the selection of two proposals—both direct infusions of Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) projects—under the third solicitation of the Earth Venture Instrument (EVI) program. Managed by the Earth System Science Pathfinder (ESSP) program, the EVI program targets emerging instruments for orbital missions of opportunity. Artist’s depiction of MAIA’s multi-angle measurement approach. (Credit: NASA JPL) The Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) will use a twin-camera instrument to make radiometric and polarimetric measurements needed to characterize the sizes, compositions, and quantities of particulate matter (aerosols) in air pollution. MAIA measurements, combined with population health records, could lead to a better understanding of connections between aerosol pollutants and health problems— adverse birth outcomes, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases and premature deaths—in the world’s major cities. MAIA will be a direct descendent of the ESTO-funded Airborne Multi-angle Spectropolarimetric Imager...