The Trump administration is calling for the destruction of two satellite missions that have been crucial in global climate and ecological monitoring over the past decade. This is part of a larger NASA shift away from climate research.

How is climate research being affected?

While NASA is known for its exploration of the cosmos, the agency also plays a pivotal role in climate science through its collection of climate data. The soon-to-be-ended missions are collectively known as the Orbiting Carbon Observatories (OCO), and they can "precisely show where carbon dioxide is being emitted and absorbed and how well crops are growing," said The Associated Press .

They have been operating for more than 10 years, producing data of "exceptionally high quality," said a 2023 NASA review

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