WELLINGTON, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Research will be jointly conducted by 12 New Zealand research teams and the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) over the next six months on feasibility studies in environmental monitoring, water and climate modeling, natural hazards, and biodiversity.
"This is important work both for now and for the future of how we grow food, sustainably monitor our agriculture, anticipate floods and droughts, and measure environmental impacts," New Zealand Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins, who is also the Space Minister, said on Wednesday.
Collaborating with NASA means the teams will have access to state-of-the-art technology and expertise to develop their research and build partnerships with a world leader in space research, Collins said.
The research teams will conduct a range of feasibility studies, including dynamic forest mapping, CO2 flux estimations for small countries, and tracking pasture quality with satellite imagery, among other Earth observation research, the minister said.
Collins said science plays a huge role in rebuilding the economy as the government works to ease the cost of living for all New Zealanders. ■