NASA On Air: NASA Launches GPM Satellite (2/27/2014)

1. US and Japan are partners.

GPM: Global Precipitation Measurement

Will circle Earth every 90 minutes.

Will be the core of a constellation of satellites.

2. Instruments will take “cat scans” of storms from 250 miles above the earth.

3. For the first time from space a “dual-frequency radar" will be able to measure snow as well as rain.

TAG: Rainfall measurements every 3 hours will help future forecasters issue warnings for flooding, such as the record Colorado flood of Sept. 2013 with over 10 inches of rain.