Dynamic Events

A special advantage enjoyed by astronauts versus unmanned satellites is the ability to observe and record dynamic events on the Earth’s surface. Opportunistic observations by astronauts on earlier space missions have provided unique views of volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, dust storms, and plankton blooms. Astronauts can scout and selectively photograph regions that lie off track and can interact with observers on the ground, providing a powerful and efficient way to observe such phenomena.

The Destiny window and WORF provide unprecedented opportunities for remote sensing of the Earth. Future payloads integrated into the WORF may be operated remotely and autonomously or may take advantage of the astronaut presence for operation, or real-time configuration changes and payload maintenance.

References

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