A new NASA laser instrument set to launch to the International Space Station in December will help scientists create the first three-dimensional map of the world's temperate and tropical forests. The Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation, or GEDI, is scheduled to launch on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. From the station, GEDI's advanced laser technology will reveal the three-dimensional structure of forest ecosystems around the globe.

Ahead of the instrument's launch, GEDI scientists shared their experiences building a space laser and what they're looking forward to discovering with the new data.

Source: NASA

Image credit: University of Maryland, College Park - Ralph Dubayah is the principal investigator for the GEDI mission and is a professor of geographical sciences at the University of Maryland, College Park.