The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is increasing to $25 million its investment in remote sensing research at Mississippi State.

Rep. Chip Pickering (R-Miss.) announced Oct. 23 during Homecoming activities that NASA will provide an additional $15 million over three years for remote sensing research. The agency last year committed $10 million to a new Remote Sensing Technologies Center at MSU.

Remote sensing uses satellites or airplanes for collecting images that reveal features not apparent to the naked eye. Data derived from the images can help map forests, detect pollution, analyze crops, or be used to make decisions about transportation corridors.

The Remote Sensing Technologies Center focuses on agriculture, transportation, and forestry and wildlife. Its work complements NASA's Commercial Remote Sensing Program at the John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, as well as the state's Mississippi Space Commerce Initiative, Pickering said.

"Mississippi is becoming a center of excellence in this emerging technology and its applications to industry and to resource management," Pickering said. "The Remote Sensing Technologies Center at Mississippi State will expand both its research projects and its transfer of the technology to the end users."

MSU President Malcolm Portera said the new NASA investment will expand a program that is establishing innovative approaches to agribusiness, conservation, and transportation planning.