White House Directs NASA to End Vital Climate Monitoring Missions

White House Directives: The White House, under the Trump administration, issued directives to NASA to plan the termination of two pivotal space missions focused on monitoring carbon dioxide emissions and the impacts of climate change. These directives directly targeted the "Orbiting Carbon Observatories" missions, which provide precise data widely used by scientists, oil and gas companies, and farmers to understand carbon dioxide distribution and its effect on crop health and ecosystems.

Importance of the Orbiting Carbon Observatories: The Orbiting Carbon Observatories are a cornerstone of Earth monitoring efforts, consisting of two main observatories: the first is an advanced instrument attached to the International Space Station (OCO-3), and the second is an independent satellite (OCO-2) orbiting Earth and continuously collecting data. Should the decision to end the mission be implemented, the independent satellite would face incineration upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere.

Trump Administration's Motive: The primary motive behind the Trump administration's effort to end these missions is believed to be linked to skepticism about climate change and its efforts to reduce the role of NASA's Earth Science Directorate. Both observatories were expected to continue operating for many years, especially after a 2023 NASA review showed that the data they provided was "exceptionally high quality" and vital for understanding our planet.

Congressional Opposition to Proposals: Despite these proposals, they faced strong opposition in Congress, which worked to reallocate the necessary funding for these missions in the final budgets, ensuring their continuity. This continued support allowed the missions to keep collecting invaluable data on Earth's carbon cycle.

Importance of Data and Role of Experts: These observatories provide highly precise measurements of carbon dioxide concentrations across diverse geographical areas, مما يمكّن العلماء من رسم صورة مفصلة لكيفية تأثير الأنشطة البشرية والصناعية على انبعاثات الغازات الدفيئة. وقد صرح ديفيد كريسب، وهو موظف سابق في ناسا عمل على تطوير أدوات مراصد الكربون، بأن موظفين حاليين في الوكالة تواصلوا معه وطرحوا "أسئلة حادة جدًا"، مما يشير إلى أنهم طُلب منهم بالفعل وضع خطة إنهاء للمهام.

Economic Viability of Missions: Crisp emphasized that "there is no economic rationale for ending NASA missions that yield incredibly valuable data," noting that the cost of maintaining and operating the two observatories is only $15 million annually, a very small amount compared to the agency's total budget of $25.4 billion.

Legal Implications and Warnings: Attempting to terminate vital Earth monitoring missions based on an anti-science agenda is not only a grave error but could also constitute a violation of laws by exceeding allocated budgets. Lawmakers have expressed deep concern, stating that "defunding or curtailing Earth-observing satellite operations would be catastrophic and severely hinder our ability to predict, manage, and respond to extreme weather and climate disasters." In this context, Representative Zoe Lofgren added that the Trump administration was imposing proposed cuts in its 2026 budget on funds already allocated for 2025, which she described as "illegal."