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Trump Administration's Attempts to Cancel NASA Climate Missions

Introduction to the Crisis: The White House under President Trump issued directives to NASA to cancel two pivotal space missions dedicated to studying climate change. These missions, known as the Orbiting Carbon Observatories, collect vital and highly utilized data, providing diverse sectors such as oil and gas companies and farmers with detailed information on the distribution of carbon dioxide emissions and their direct impact on crop health.

Mission Details: One of these observatories, OCO-3, is attached to the International Space Station, while the other, OCO-2, operates as an independent satellite in its own orbit. The proposed cancellation meant the independent satellite would face its ultimate fate by burning up in Earth's atmosphere.

Administration's Stance: These directives are consistent with the Trump administration's skeptical stance on climate change and its efforts to reduce the budget of NASA's Earth Science Directorate.

Quality and Value: What is concerning is that these two observatories were expected to continue operating for many years to come, according to the scientists overseeing them. An official review conducted by NASA in 2023 concluded that the data provided by the observatories was of "exceptionally high quality," underscoring their scientific value.

Expert Testimonies and Scientific Value

Value of Observatories and Expert Testimony: These observatories provide precise and detailed measurements of carbon dioxide concentrations across various geographic locations, giving scientists a comprehensive view of how human activities affect greenhouse gas emissions. In this context, David Crisp, a former NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientist who worked on developing carbon observatory instruments, stated that current employees contacted him saying: "They were asking me very precise and sharp questions, and the only motivation behind these questions was that someone had asked them to prepare a plan to end the mission."

No Economic Logic: Crisp noted that "there is no economic logic to ending NASA missions that provide invaluable data," explaining that the cost of operating and maintaining the two observatories does not exceed $15 million annually, a minuscule amount compared to NASA's total budget of $25.4 billion.

Legislative Resistance and Mission Continuity

Threatened Missions and Scientific Concerns: These two missions were not the only ones threatened; they were among dozens of space missions that faced the risk of cancellation in the budget proposals submitted by the administration for successive fiscal years. This trend sparked widespread anger in scientific circles, with many scientists warning that these cuts could lead to a decline in U.S. leadership in space exploration and its sciences.

Legislative Resistance: In contrast, lawmakers resisted these proposals and put forth counter-offers aimed at maintaining NASA's budget at its previous levels. In a statement issued in July, Senator Chris Van Hollen said: "We rejected proposed cuts that would have decimated NASA's science programs by 47% and ended 55 operational and planned missions."

Violation of Law and Expert Warnings: Lawmakers affirmed that ending vital Earth observation missions to serve an anti-science political agenda was not only a grave error but could also constitute a violation of law by exceeding approved budgets. Representative Zoe Lofgren, a member of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, told NPR: "Defunding or curtailing Earth-observing satellite operations would be catastrophic, harming our ability to predict and respond to severe weather and climate disasters." She added: "The administration's attempt to impose proposed budget cuts on already appropriated funds is illegal."

Mission Continuity and Success: Despite repeated attempts at cancellation, Congress continued to fund these vital missions, and the OCO-2 and OCO-3 observatories remain fully operational today, continuing to provide the world with indispensable data for understanding our planet.

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