NASA Mission Analyzes Air Quality in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

• A NASA-led air quality network has conducted a detailed multi-year study of particulate matter and black carbon in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
• Findings reveal that PM2.5 concentrations in the city are over three times higher than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's annual standard.
• Black carbon levels were recorded at four to nine times higher than those in monitored U.S. metropolitan areas.

Study Scope and Methodology

• Between 2022 and 2025, 10 monitoring sites deployed by the Multi-Angle Imager for Aerosols (MAIA) project tracked air quality trends.
• The research provides a baseline for a rapidly growing city, as Addis Ababa's population is projected to exceed 10 million by 2050.
• Sensors successfully distinguished between particles from fossil fuel combustion and those from holiday bonfires or biomass burning.

Policy and Environmental Context

• Ethiopia is actively addressing air quality; in 2024, it became the first country to ban the import of internal combustion engine vehicles.
• Urban development efforts include the expansion of bike lanes and investments in electric vehicle infrastructure.

Future Objectives

• MAIA is the first NASA mission to incorporate public health researchers directly into its team to correlate aerosol composition with health outcomes.
• A satellite-based observatory, equipped with JPL-built multi-angle cameras, is scheduled for launch by the Italian Space Agency no earlier than late 2027.
• The mission currently operates ground-based sensor networks in 12 global cities, including Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Boston.