In response to the Hill Country floods and the widespread devastation in Kerr County, NASA is using its technology to assist state and local authorities in ongoing recovery operations.
NASA has deployed two aircraft and radar technology.
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The aircraft are part of NASA’s Disasters Response Coordination System, activated to support emergency response efforts.
Near constant cloud cover in the Kerrville area has made obtaining satellite images challenging. To combat this, NASA has conducted flights to gather data on the impacted areas to provide information to rescue groups and make recovery efforts possible.
The high-altitude WB-57 aircraft, operated by NASA Johnson, departed Ellington Field on July 8 to conduct aerial surveys. It is equipped with the DyNAMITE (Day/Night Airborne Motion Imager for Terrestrial Environments) sensor. This sensor technology viewed the Guadalupe River and several miles of surrounding area, providing high-resolution visuals.
Additionally, NASA’s Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar (UAVSAR) is flying out of Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. This radar can penetrate vegetation to detect water that optical sensors cannot, to help researchers better understand the extent of the flood damage in communities.
Flights are coordinated with FEMA, the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and local responders to ensure data is quickly delivered to authorities on the ground. The Disasters Program is also producing maps and data to assess flooding severity and damage to buildings.
