Ag Gets Help From Outer Space

NASA’s recently launched space shuttle Endeavour, had onboard a camera that will help U.S. farmers and provide unique educational opportunities for students, USAgNet reports.

The Agricultural Camera, known as “AgCam,” designed by students and faculty at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks will be installed on the International Space Station.

AgCam will take images in visible and infrared light of growing crops, rangeland, grasslands, forests and wetlands in the northern Great Plains and Rocky Mountain regions. The students will operate the camera from their campus and work closely with NASA engineers and station astronauts.

The information from AgCam will provide data to agricultural producers in North Dakota and neighboring states. Images from the camera also will be shared with educators throughout the country for use in their classrooms. ❖