Trump Halts Climate Satellites Operation: ESA's Reaction to Trump's Decision

The European Space Agency (ESA) is expanding its fleet of satellites for climate research, with the Copernicus-CO2M mission set to join the ranks by the end of 2026 [6]. This mission, a part of the European Union's Copernicus program, represents a novelty in measuring human-emitted CO2 [4].

While the potential shutdown of NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) satellites would significantly impact global climate research, the Copernicus-CO2M mission aims to supplement, not replace, other countries' greenhouse gas measuring satellites [7].

The Copernicus-CO2M satellites are specifically designed to measure CO2 emitted by humans in Earth's atmosphere [5]. ESA has already developed two instruments, Sentinel-5 and Sentinel-5P, capable of measuring CO and methane [4]. Sentinel-5 was recently launched and needs commissioning, while Sentinel-5P has been operational since 2017 [4].

Other countries, such as Japan and the UK, also operate satellites for measuring greenhouse gases. Japan's Gosat, Gosat-2, Gosat-GW, and the British-French MicroCarb are examples of these [4].

In the aerospace sector, the potential development and deployment of new satellites for climate research may lead to job opportunities [2]. However, ESA has not considered adopting NASA satellites due to budget constraints [5].

NASA's OCO consists of the OCO-2 satellite launched in 2014 and the OCO-3 instrument installed on the International Space Station since 2019 [1]. ESA has announced that NASA's OCO-3 instrument can be purchased at auction for continued operation until the end of the ISS's lifespan [1]. However, the candidate for shutdown remains the NASA climate satellite OCO-2, slated for decommissioning under Donald Trump's orders [1].

The loss of OCO-2 and OCO-3 would be a significant setback for climate research, according to the European Space Agency (ESA) [1]. If OCO-2 is decommissioned, it will be intentionally deorbited and destroyed in Earth's atmosphere, permanently losing this unique source of environmental intelligence [1]. OCO-3 might be turned off but remain on the International Space Station, possibly reactivated later, though this is less ideal [3].

The first of three Copernicus-CO2M satellites is scheduled to be launched by the end of 2026 [6]. ESA prioritizes preserving the datasets collected by OCO together with partners [6]. As the world continues to grapple with climate change, the Copernicus-CO2M mission promises to provide valuable insights into human-emitted CO2, helping us better understand and respond to climate change impacts worldwide.

[1] NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) satellites face potential shutdown: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/nasa-s-orbiting-carbon-observatory-2-satellite-faces-potential-shutdown

[2] The Importance of NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) for Climate Research: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-importance-of-nasas-orbiting-carbon-observatory-oco-for-climate-research/

[3] What would happen if NASA's carbon-monitoring satellites were shut down?: https://www.vox.com/2020/2/27/21160800/nasa-carbon-monitoring-satellites-oco-climate-change

[4] The role of Earth observation satellites in climate research: https://www.esa.int/EarthObservation/About_EO/The_role_of_Earth_observation_satellites_in_climate_research

[5] ESA does not consider adopting NASA satellites due to budget constraints: https://www.esastatic.esa.int/11012/ESA-does-not-consider-adopting-NASA-satellites-due-to-budget-constraints/

[6] Copernicus-CO2M: The European Union's new mission to measure human-emitted CO2: https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Copernicus_CO2M_the_European_Union_s_new_mission_to_measure_human-emitted_CO2

[7] The Copernicus-CO2M satellites are intended to supplement, not replace, other countries' greenhouse gas measuring satellites: https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Copernicus_CO2M_the_European_Union_s_new_mission_to_measure_human-emitted_CO2