NASA's PREFIRE mission has recorded two complete seasonal cycles at Earth's poles using twin CubeSats that began collecting science data in July 2024. The satellites measure surface temperatures and invisible far-infrared energy escaping to space. Maps show how sharply polar temperatures rise and fall through Arctic and Antarctic seasons. These observations matter because circulation carries excess tropical heat toward the poles, where much of it radiates away and helps regulate the planet's temperature.
Far-infrared radiation carries almost 60 percent of the energy Earth emits to space, although it had not previously been measured worldwide in a comprehensive way. PREFIRE tracks this part of the spectrum directly and almost in real time. Scientists can use the data to refine Earth-system models and improve predictions. The measurements may also clarify changes affecting weather systems, river flows, shipping routes and ice-sheet stability. The mission therefore turns previously hidden energy into evidence for understanding rapid polar change.