• NASA's ER-2 plane surveys Western states for critical minerals.
• The plane uses an instrument to measure reflected light from the Earth's surface.
• The effort aims to find minerals like titanium, nickel, and aluminum.
• The minerals are crucial for the nation's economy and national security.

This initiative may indicate a growing focus on domestic mineral resource development, which could benefit the US aerospace and defense industries. The partnership between NASA and USGS suggests a coordinated effort to modernize the nation's mineral mapping capabilities, which could have significant implications for the country's economic and national security interests.