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GPM Launch Seen From the Tanegashima Space Center A Japanese H-IIA rocket with the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory onboard, is seen launching from the Tanegashima Space Center on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014 (Japan Time), in Tanegashima, Japan; Thursday, Feb. 27, EST. Credit: NASA\/Bill Ingalls <\/p>\n
NASA GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, MARYLAND A powerful, next generation weather observatory aimed at gathering unprecedented 3-D measurements of global rain and snowfall rates and jointly developed by the US and Japan thundered to orbit today (Feb. 27 EST, Feb. 28 JST) ) during a spectacular night time blastoff from a Japanese space port. <\/p>\n
The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory was launched precisely on time at 1:37 p.m. EST, 1837 GMT, Thursday, Feb. 27 (3:37 a.m. JST Friday, Feb. 28) atop a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries H-IIA rocket from the Tanegashima Space Center on Tanegashima Island off southern Japan. <\/p>\n
Viewers could watch the spectacular liftoff live on NASA TV which was streamed here at Universe Today. <\/p>\n
GPMs precipitation measurements will look like a CAT scan, Dr. Dalia Kirschbaum, GPM research scientist, told me during a prelaunch interview with the GPM satellite in the cleanroom at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. <\/p>\n
The radar can scan through clouds to create a three dimensional view of a clouds structure and evolution. <\/p>\n
GPM lifts off on Feb. 27, EST (Feb. 28, JST) to begin its Earth-observing mission. Credit: NASA\/Bill Ingalls <\/p>\n
GPM is the lead observatory of a constellation of nine highly advanced Earth orbiting weather research satellites contributed by the US, Japan, Europe and India. <\/p>\n
Indeed GPM will be the first satellite to measure light rainfall and snow, in addition to heavy tropical rainfall. <\/p>\n
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Next Generation NASA\/JAXA Global Weather Research Satellite thunders aloft from Japanese Spaceport<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Want to stay on top of all the space news? Follow @universetoday on Twitter GPM Launch Seen From the Tanegashima Space Center A Japanese H-IIA rocket with the NASA-Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory onboard, is seen launching from the Tanegashima Space Center on Friday, Feb. 28, 2014 (Japan Time), in Tanegashima, Japan; Thursday, Feb Continue reading