NASA deploys high-tech aircraft to assist in rescue efforts after Texas floods

NASA deployed two highly specialized aircraft this week to assist in search, rescue and damage assessment operations after devastating floods struck south central Texas. The disaster left at least 119 dead and nearly 200 people remain missing, according to official figures.

In response to the magnitude of the tragedy, NASA's Disaster Response Coordination System was activated to collaborate with the Texas Emergency Management Division, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and humanitarian organizations working on the ground.

State-of-the-art technology in the service of the emergency

The first deployment is for the WB-57 high-altitude aircraft, which took off Tuesday from Joint Reserve Base Ellington Field in Houston. The aircraft is equipped with the DyNAMITE sensor, a high-resolution aerial imaging system that operates day and night. Its mission is to conduct overflights over the Guadalupe River and surrounding areas, providing imagery that can expedite on-the-ground decision making and facilitate resource allocation.

Detailed mapping of affected areas

In addition to the WB-57, NASA sent a second aircraft from California: a Gulfstream III equipped with unmanned aerial vehicle synthetic aperture radar (UAVSAR). This technology can detect the presence of water even through vegetation, providing essential data on the extent of flooding in the Guadalupe, San Gabriel and Colorado river basins.

This radar is expected to collect data for several days, generating accurate maps that will allow emergency crews to assess damage to homes, infrastructure and other critical areas. These maps will be available on the NASA Disaster Mapping Portal.