Satellite to watch pollution

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32977, 25 July 1972, Page 13

Satellite to watch pollution

W.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) LOMPOC (Califoma), July 24. A spacecraft designed to collect information on the Earth’s ecology was launched from the western test range today in man’s first largescale attempt to learn more about his environment through space technology. The first Earth Resources Technology Satellite — E.R.T.S. for short—will transmit photographs and scientific data to Earth stations to provide a comprehensive inventory of air and water pollution, beach erosion and many other items affecting the Earth’s environment. The 19651 b, 10ft long butterfly-shaped spacecraft was launched on a two-stage Delta booster toward a 517mile high near-polar orbit, to circle the Earth every 103 minutes.

Large areas of the Earth, 13,000 square miles each, will be photographed by the satellite with the initial area

the maritime provinces of eastern Canada and the New England states. The United States and 31 other countries are participating in the project under the guidance of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Collected information from E.R.T.S will be computerised and will aid in assessing and understanding changes taking place in the Earth’s environment, according to N.A.S.A. scientists. It will provide data on rivers, lakes, forests, crops and mineral accumulations on a large scale. Analysis of snow cover will forecast future water supplies. Good fishing areas can be detected by E.R.T.S.’s video tape-recorder. Blight in plants can be detected in colour photographs before it is noted from ground observation. E.R.T.S. is planned to work at full speed and efficiency for a year. It would probably go longer, scientists said. A successor is planned in about 18 months.