Estimating evapotranspiration to help farmers track crop water use.
Kansas State University and NASA recently highlighted their partnership at the Flickner Innovation Farm, where satellite-based technologies are being tested to help farmers improve water management, crop monitoring and long-term sustainability.
The visit was part of NASA's Space for Ag tour, which connects researchers, producers and agricultural leaders to explore practical uses of satellite data in farming.
The Flickner Innovation Farm near Moundridge, Kansas, serves as a testing ground for new agricultural technologies under real farming conditions. Operated by Ray Flickner and his son Ryan, the farm evaluates precision agriculture tools, conservation practices and data-driven strategies that can benefit producers.
“This unique collaboration brings NASA's space-based capabilities and satellite data together with K-State's ability to test that information under real-world farm conditions,” said Hans Coetzee, vice president for research at Kansas State University.
“Water, soil health and agricultural resilience are wicked problems. They are too complex for any one discipline or institution to solve, so progress depends on bringing the right people, knowledge and capabilities together.”
Coetzee said the partnership reflects K-State's commitment to connecting research with practical solutions for producers. Testing technologies on working farms helps researchers evaluate their effectiveness and accelerate their adoption across the agricultural sector.
NASA Earth Science Division Director Karen St. Germain said the Space for Ag initiative is designed to connect satellite observations with the information farmers need to make better decisions. The tour included visits to farms in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas to better understand local agricultural challenges.
“These trips are really about building partnerships and learning from one another so that we can bring all of the power of our satellites, that unique perspective and the unique data we get from space, and bring it to bear right here on family farms in Kansas,” St. Germain said.
NASA satellites provide data on water resources, crop health, plant growth and storm impacts, helping producers make more informed management decisions.
These tools are especially valuable in areas where water conservation is critical.
Susan Metzger, director of the Kansas Water Institute, said the partnership focuses on delivering NASA-developed tools to farmers more quickly. Better forecasting and precision data can help producers optimize irrigation and conserve water resources.
“For example, when water is limited, every drop you apply to your crop is precious,” she said. “If farmers know that they can perhaps not apply that inch of water next week based on really great precision forecasting, that's an inch of water they can save for later in the season, for a future crop or preserved in the aquifer.”
One of the partnership's notable outcomes is the use of OpenET, a satellite-based platform that estimates evapotranspiration and helps farmers track crop water use. Ray Flickner said the tool has provided valuable insights into water-use patterns on his farm and in the surrounding area.
Future satellite missions are expected to provide even more detailed information on crop conditions, plant health and disease detection.
“We know that this is not only today. This is absolutely the future,” concluded Metzger.
Supported by NASA and NASA Acres, the partnership demonstrates how science, technology and on-farm experience can work together to improve efficiency, conserve resources and strengthen the future of agriculture.
Photo Credit: Kansas State University