Three space missions in 2010 aim to learn more about the sun, and the climate and the oceans of Earth, NASA officials said. Two of the missions will examine the concentration of salt in oceans and the presence of aerosol particles, such as soot, in the atmosphere, according to a report of the United Press International (UPI). "They are extraordinary timely," said Michael Freilich, head of NASA"s Earth-science division, noting the results likely will influence global warming research. The third mission will study the sun"s effect on space weather, including solar flares that sometimes interfere with communication networks on Earth, the Orlando Sentinel reported Saturday. The three missions likely will be the highlights of a year in which the aging space shuttle fleet is to be retired and the future of the space program debated in Congress, the Sentinel reported.
