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NASA is using its satellites to solve humanitarian challenges in some of the most fragile places on earth under a landmark partnership with aid agency Mercy Corps.
The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration will use its wealth of data to help communities at risk from climate change and natural disaster predict the dangers and build their resilience.
Nasa has had many satelites monitoring erth or decades now with its data collection being archived but not used all that much. Other than the Ozone Hole its has not been made in a format that can be used by all.
NASA and Mercy Corps signed a three-year agreement on March 29 that will see them work closely to see how NASA's vast data and analysis resources could be applied to help vulnerable people around the world.
They say the data can help them predict future events, from changes in grazing land to the likely path of flooding, meaning Mercy Corps can plan ahead to protect communities at risk.
Since the ISS is circling we can see first hand and give aid sooner for some events but its the others that we are slow to react on.
Much of the data that NASA holds is already publicly available, but may not be used because decision-makers are not aware of its existence or because it is not in a format that addresses their questions.
In a pilot project, the teams looked at groundwater levels in Niger, where most people live off subsistence farming and droughts can destroy livelihoods.
NASA was able to provide data on changes to underground water levels and find reserves using a satellite that senses them through tiny changes in gravity.
The information helped to show where could support more farming and where was at high drought risk.
They are working to share NASA data with local decision-makers around the world, from national governments to local farmers.
There is alot of data which covers many topics but it needs to be used for the benefit of man kind.
The two organisations could also collaborate during large-scale disasters such as the recent floods in Mozambique and Zimbabwe to help target immediate relief.
"It's still very much in the experimental phase, there's just such a deep well of possibility," said Nicholson.
Once the big storms pass and the sky is clear we can seem much of the damage from space and can even direct those coming to help.
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