[SatNews] The Space Dynamics Laboratory at Utah State University has landed a contract valued at up to $9.6 million over five years from NASA to work on a new satellite designed to produce highly accurate climate records. Entitled the Climate Absolute Radiance and Refractivity Observatory (CLARREO) project, Utah State U will work with Harvard and the University of Wisconsin Madison, and together they will deliver engineering and design assistance on infrared measurement systems and other instruments.

NASA reports that the satellite is expected to provide data on both natural and human-induced climate change, and provide improved weather forecasts, which are needed to effectively respond to new conditions. It’s expected to launch in the latter part of this decade.

This isn't the lab's first foray into the climate change world, as they worked on NASA’s WISE telescope that is now completing a survey of the entire sky.