NASA Launches Two New Earth-Watching Satellites to Track Climate

NASA has selected two new satellite missions that will give Earth scientists unprecedented tools to monitor the planet's atmosphere, ice sheets, and forests. The missions, called STRIVE and EDGE, represent a major investment in understanding how our planet is changing and helping communities prepare for extreme weather and environmental disasters.

Both missions were chosen as part of NASA's Earth System Explorers Program, which funds research-driven space projects focused on questions identified as priorities by the scientific community and national governments. The agency announced the selections after a competitive review process that evaluated proposals from research institutions across the country.

Background

NASA has long used satellites to study Earth from space, collecting data that helps meteorologists forecast weather, track hurricanes, and monitor ice loss in polar regions. However, the agency says current satellites have significant gaps in what they can measure. Some areas of the planet lack detailed information, and existing tools cannot always capture the three-dimensional structure of forests or the precise elevation of glaciers.

The Earth System Explorers Program was created to address these gaps by funding missions led by principal investigators—scientists who design the research and lead the teams. Unlike some NASA programs that focus on established technologies, this program encourages innovation and targets specific scientific questions that communities have identified as important.

Both selected missions will now enter the next phase of development. NASA will conduct a confirmation review in 2027 to assess how well the projects are progressing and whether funding remains available. If approved at that stage, each mission is expected to launch no earlier than 2030.

Key Details

The STRIVE Mission

The first mission, called STRIVE (Stratosphere Troposphere Response using Infrared Vertically-resolved light Explorer), will focus on Earth's atmosphere. Led by researcher Lyatt Jaeglé at the University of Washington, STRIVE will measure temperature, atmospheric chemicals, and tiny particles called aerosols from high altitudes down through the lower atmosphere.

The mission will collect measurements every day across nearly the entire globe at a resolution much finer than any previous satellite. Scientists say this data will help them track how the ozone layer is recovering from decades of damage caused by certain chemicals. The mission will also measure gases and particles that affect air quality and climate.

One major benefit of STRIVE's detailed measurements will be improved weather forecasting. The data could help meteorologists make predictions weeks in advance rather than just days ahead, giving communities more time to prepare for storms. This matters especially for coastal areas, where nearly half the world's population lives.

"By understanding Earth's surface topography, ecosystems and atmosphere, while also enabling longer range weather forecasting, these missions will help us better study the extreme environments beyond our home planet to ensure the safety of astronauts and spacecraft as we return to the Moon with the Artemis campaign and journey onward to Mars and beyond." – Nicky Fox, NASA Science Mission Directorate

The EDGE Mission

The second mission, called EDGE (Earth Dynamics Geodetic Explorer), will track the physical structure of Earth's surface. Led by glaciologist Helen Amanda Fricker at the University of California San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, EDGE will use laser technology to measure the height and shape of forests, glaciers, ice sheets, and sea ice.

Fricker said the mission represents a major advance over current tools. EDGE will provide coverage across the entire planet simultaneously, something no previous mission has achieved. The data will show how quickly glaciers are melting, how forests are changing, and how sea ice is shifting—information important for understanding climate change impacts.

The mission will also collect information about land and sea transportation corridors and terrain features of commercial interest, potentially helping industries plan operations in changing environments.

What This Means

Each mission will cost up to $355 million, not including the expense of launching the satellites into orbit. This price tag reflects the complexity of building space-based instruments capable of taking precise measurements from hundreds of miles above Earth.

The 2030 launch date gives the teams about four years to complete design work, build hardware, and test everything thoroughly. NASA's confirmation review in 2027 will serve as a checkpoint to ensure projects remain on track and within budget.

Scientists say both missions address urgent needs. Climate change is accelerating changes to ice sheets, forests, and weather patterns. Better data from space could help governments make decisions about disaster preparedness, infrastructure planning, and environmental protection. The missions also support NASA's broader goals for exploring beyond Earth, since understanding our home planet helps scientists prepare for future human missions to the Moon and Mars.

The selection of these two missions reflects NASA's strategy of balancing large flagship projects with smaller, focused research missions. By letting scientists lead the design process, the agency says it can tackle specific scientific questions more efficiently than traditional approaches.