Harris to announce first National Space Council meeting in nearly a year

Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Vice President Kamala Harris is scheduled to host the Biden administration's first meeting of the National Space Council on Dec. 1.

Her announcement will come Friday during her visit to the Goddard Space Flight Center, which will focus on efforts to use space missions to monitor and address the climate crisis.

She will be accompanied by NASA administrator Bill Nelson and officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Geological Survey.

Harris will also present pictures from the Landsat 9 Earth mission for the first time. The satellite launched in September.

Landsatt 9 is collecting data to help with water use, drought effects, and agriculture planning. It is the latest launch in a series of satellites that have provided data on Earth's forests, oceans, farms, and freshwater systems for nearly 50 years.

It's her first high-profile event as head of the National Space Council and the upcoming meeting marks one year since the council convened on Dec. 9, 2020.