NASA Plans Air Pollution Flights Over Maryland on July 2
WASHINGTON -- NASA's DISCOVER-AQ air quality field campaign is
scheduled to take to the skies over the Baltimore-Washington
traffic corridor on Saturday, July 2, from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30
p.m. EDT. The flight is part of a mission to enhance the
capability of satellites to measure ground-level air quality
from space. NASA's P-3B research aircraft will fly at low
altitudes over the northeast Maryland study region. The P-3B is
a large, 117-foot, four-engine turboprop, carrying nine
scientific instruments. It will fly as low as 1,000 feet above
the ground along a route that will take it over major roadway
traffic corridors. The P-3B also will make spiral ascents and
descents over six locations where air-quality measurements are
being made from ground stations. Approximately 14 DISCOVER-AQ
flights are planned through July when weather conditions are
appropriate. NASA will announce each flight by 5 p.m. the day
before the aircraft is scheduled to fly. The fligh