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Read article: A Tapestry of Tales: 10th Anniversary Reflections from NASA’s OCO-2 Mission
Aug. 15, 2025
A Tapestry of Tales: 10th Anniversary Reflections from NASA’s OCO-2 Mission
OCO-2 is now viewed as the gold standard for carbon dioxide (CO2) measurements from space and has quietly become a powerful driver of technological, ecological and even economic progress – including providing unexpected insights into plant health, crop-yield forecasting, drought early warning systems, and forest and rangeland management. While the mission can point to many scientific achievements, these accomplishments have occurred in the context of a larger human story. >

Read article: Coverage Factors Affect Urban CO2 Monitoring from Space
June 30, 2025
Coverage Factors Affect Urban CO2 Monitoring from Space
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory missions (OCO-2 and OCO-3) are now being routinely used to generate CO2 emissions from cities around the world. However, a recent study shows that coverage limitations of space-based observing platforms should be considered by policymakers when determining appropriate monitoring, reporting, and verification protocols for cities around the world. >

Read article: Is the Planet Losing One of its Best Ways to Slow Climate Change?
April 25, 2025
Is the Planet Losing One of its Best Ways to Slow Climate Change?
The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere last year grew at one of the fastest rates in recorded history – a dramatic spike that scientists fear may indicate that Earth’s ecosystems are so stressed by warming they can no longer absorb much of the pollution that humanity emits. Measurements from NASA’s OCO-2 satellite are being used together with NOAA ground-based datasets and global models to better understand the reasons behind this declining capacity of the natural sinks and the anomalous >

Read article: Decline of the land carbon sink in 2023
March 3, 2025
Decline of the land carbon sink in 2023
In 2023, the hottest year on record, the amount of carbon absorbed by land sinks temporarily collapsed. >

Read article: NASA Study Shows Crops, Forests Responding to Changing Rainfall Patterns
Feb. 10, 2025
NASA Study Shows Crops, Forests Responding to Changing Rainfall Patterns
Earth’s rainy days are changing: They’re becoming less frequent, but more intense. A finer understanding of how plants are responding could help us better understand their role in absorbing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. >

Read article: Monitoring urban carbon emissions at the global scale
Jan. 16, 2025
Monitoring urban carbon emissions at the global scale
As nations and cities continue to state their intentions to move towards becoming carbon-neutral, we want to be able to see it happen from space. Now we have a system to do so. >

Read article: Heatwaves and drought quelled La Niña's carbon storage benefits
July 7, 2024
Heatwaves and drought quelled La Niña's carbon storage benefits
In La Niña years, levels of CO2 usually don’t rise as much as they otherwise would. But in 2021, La Niña’s carbon storage effects were different. >

Read article: How "Glowing" Plants Could Help Scientists Predict Flash Drought
May 15, 2024
How "Glowing" Plants Could Help Scientists Predict Flash Drought
An unusual boost in plant productivity can foreshadow severe soil water loss. NASA satellites are following the clues. >

Read article: Subways connect people with opportunity, and they slash carbon emissions in half
Jan. 11, 2024
Subways connect people with opportunity, and they slash carbon emissions in half
World Bank study uses OCO-2 measurements to help quantify beneficial impacts of subway systems >

Read article: NASA Space Mission Takes Stock of Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Countries
March 7, 2023
NASA Space Mission Takes Stock of Carbon Dioxide Emissions by Countries
NASA Satellite Tracks Sources and Sinks for over 100 Countries >

Read article: Earth’s CO2 battle: A view from space
Feb. 23, 2023
Earth’s CO2 battle: A view from space
A statistical framework developed by researchers at the University of Wollongong, Australia, is used with OCO-2 satellite data in order to determine where CO2 is emitted and absorbed across Earth’s surface. >

Read article: NASA Space Missions Pinpoint Sources of CO2 Emissions on Earth
Jan. 9, 2023
NASA Space Missions Pinpoint Sources of CO2 Emissions on Earth
A case study involving Europe’s largest coal-fired power plant shows space-based observations can be used to track carbon dioxide emissions – and reductions – at the source. >

Read article: Watching the Earth Breathe
Dec. 15, 2022
Watching the Earth Breathe
Earth’s climate is changing. Carbon dioxide is driving it. The Orbiting Carbon Observatories are measuring it. From space. >

Read article: Tracking CO2 emission reductions from space: A case study at Europe's largest fossil fuel power plant
Dec. 8, 2022
Tracking CO2 emission reductions from space: A case study at Europe's largest fossil fuel power plant
A new study by Nassar and co-authors uses OCO-2 and OCO-3 observations to demonstrate spaceborne capability for tracking power plant emissions in close to real time. >

Read article: National CO2 Budgets informed by atmospheric CO2 measurements
Sept. 16, 2022
National CO2 Budgets informed by atmospheric CO2 measurements
What are the emissions and removals of CO2 (carbon dioxide) for countries around the world? And how much do fossil fuel emissions, trade, and changing land carbon stocks contribute to these net fluxes? >

Read article: Cozette Parker's unique path to an engineering job at JPL
Aug. 31, 2022
Cozette Parker's unique path to an engineering job at JPL
I had been watching people at JPL doing what I felt was interesting work. It seemed hard, but I thought, “I’m not a stupid girl; I can go to college and learn how to do this stuff,” so that’s what I did. >

Read article: NASA satellite captures rising carbon dioxide after major forest fires
Aug. 4, 2022
NASA satellite captures rising carbon dioxide after major forest fires
Tom Pongetti once saw a tree explode. It was September 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic shuttered most on-site operations at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). At the same time, one of the most devastating fires ever to accost Los Angeles was wreaking havoc on the mountain slopes above JPL. >

Read article: How it started, how it's going: As a NASA satellite is built, a science community is built, too
July 12, 2022
How it started, how it's going: As a NASA satellite is built, a science community is built, too
It was a warm April day in 2003 when 22 scientists, squinting in the sun, lined up neatly on a pathway at Caltech. Vines draped over arches in the background. Everyone flashed a smile as the camera clicked. >

Read article: Career profile: Annmarie Eldering on leadership at JPL
May 23, 2022
Career profile: Annmarie Eldering on leadership at JPL
Annmarie Eldering first came to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in 1999 for a summer fellowship, and stayed for over 20 years. Recently retired, she experienced the excitement, surprises, and stresses that come with leading the development of new satellites. >

Read article: How is climate change impacting shellfish in the ocean?
May 16, 2022
How is climate change impacting shellfish in the ocean?
A NASA satellite managed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is measuring the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. But things get tricky when that CO2 finds a place to hide. >

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