California launching its own satellite to fight climate change

Pic is of a French satellite, found here.

California is taking action on climate change while others aren't.

Or as Governor Jerry Brown succinctly put it: "With science still under attack and the climate threat growing, we're launching our own damn satellite."

Both the state and its governor have been the butt of many jokes, and justifiably so in a few cases, however this move shows initiative and inspiration on more than one level.

Once in space, the satellite will be able to specifically identify and monitor sources of climate pollution. This would allow for targeted regulatory practices. Good thing too, as California has experienced many of the more severe effects of climate change firsthand, such as drought and wildfires.

This move also emboldens private space enterprises. Planet Labs, the outfit launching the satellite, was founded by former NASA engineers. Even if you're someone still holding on against all reason on the truth of climate change, perhaps you can at least be appreciative of the expansion of private space launches.

While a hopeful move, I believe it's important to remember that the satellite itself won't "fight" climate change. Not exactly. The data it will harness and send back will be invaluable, true. That alone is not enough. We must then act in order to stop the environmental process, or at least slow it down. I guess this is where the cynic in me thinks the satellite will ultimately allow us a bird's eye view of our own extinction.

Now there's a plot to write. It would be a series of log entries by a human in orbit, each entry recording the acceleration of climate change, remarking on the visible changes to the atmosphere and the planet itself (e.g. rising tides and swallowed coastlines, widening deserts.) What would the reactions of this last human be? Anger? Resignation? "I told you so?" Maybe this person chose orbit to live out their final days, having grown tired of talking to the brick walls of fellow people. Are there any final artifacts of the human race on that orbiting space station? Please tell me they're a case of beer and season one of Sanford & Son (catch the joke?) Anything of humanity stored in the station's computer?

"I must scream but who would listen?" HAL says...


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