NZ scientists funded $10.5m for low-cost alternative to dying Nasa satellite

Researchers Harald Schwefel, Mallika Suresh and Annika Seppälä with components of a future micro satellite. (Image: Supplied)

Greg Hurrell

Mon, 08 Sep 2025

New Zealand researchers are racing to develop new, lower-cost climate monitoring technology to replace the imminent loss of a US National Aeronautics and Space Administration satellite.The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (Nasa) EOS (Earth Observing System) Aura satellite, launched in 2004, is expected to run out of fuel in 2026 and no equivalent replacement is in the pipeline due to the prohibitive cost. That leaves an enormous gap in monitoring Antarctic ozone levels and their effect on NZ’s weather and climate.Hara...

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