Disaster! NASA is to launch Leaking Starliner To orbit instead of SpaceX Dragon…

NASA is preparing to launch a pair of climate research missions within weeks of each other. The two spacecraft share the name PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-Infrared Experiment) and are designed to study how much heat is absorbed and emitted from Earth’s polar regions, the space agency said. The first spacecraft, PREFIRE-1, is set to liftoff on May 25 onboard a Rocket Lab Electron rocket during a launch window that runs 7.15 to 8.15 pm. A specific date and time for the second mission has yet to be announced.
“We’re looking for new insights into how Earth’s atmosphere and ice influence how much heat the polar regions lose into space,” said Karen St. Germain, director of NASA’s Earth Science Division, in a prelaunch teleconference. “This is new information and we’ve never had it before. We’ll improve our ability to model what’s happening in the poles, what’s happening in climate, and ultimately, our ability to predict everything from weather to climate.
“This is important to our strategy of providing Earth science that is actionable and can inform decisions for communities around the world on how to respond and adapt to changing environmental conditions.”