NASA to Conduct Low-Altitude Research Flights Over Texas Farmland

NASA announced that a Dynamic Aviation A200 aircraft will conduct low-flying research flights over farmland near Transit, Texas, from Thursday, Oct. 22, through Monday, Nov. 9. The flights will measure gaseous and particulate emissions from animal feeding operations. The aircraft will fly at low altitudes to gather detailed data about pollutants rising from agricultural sources in the region. Scientists will use the information to better understand the environmental impact of farming activities.

The mission is called FarmFlux. It will deploy more than a dozen sensors to measure ozone, methane, ammonia, particulates, and other pollutants rising from croplands and livestock farms and their interaction with the Earth's atmosphere. The sensors will collect comprehensive data about the chemical composition of emissions from agricultural operations. Researchers will analyze how these pollutants affect air quality and atmospheric conditions.

Agricultural emissions represent an important and understudied part of Earth's land and atmosphere systems, according to the agency. Understanding these emissions helps scientists improve their knowledge of atmospheric chemistry and environmental impacts from farming activities. The data collected will contribute to broader climate and environmental research efforts.

The FarmFlux mission is jointly led by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, along with Colorado State University and Boston University. These institutions are working together to conduct the research and analyze the data collected during the flight campaigns. Each partner brings specialized expertise to the mission.

Additional low-altitude research flights with a NASA P-3 Orion aircraft are scheduled for the March to July 2027 growing season in the Midwest and California's Central Valley. Those flights will focus on cropland emissions during peak agricultural activity periods. The extended research campaign will provide seasonal data across different farming regions.

NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley is also involved in the mission. The center provides support and expertise for the research operations. The collaboration involves multiple NASA facilities working toward a common scientific goal.