NASA’ Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO)
( UPSC Prelims)
NASA’ Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO)
( UPSC Prelims)
News Context
The USA administration intends to terminate NASA’s OCO missions, which serve as a crucial data source for scientists, policymakers, and farmers.
• Launch: The OCO-2 satellite was launched in 2014, and OCO-3 was launched in 2019 as an instrument on the International Space Station (ISS).
• Key Findings:
o The Amazon rainforest releases more CO₂ than it absorbs.
o Boreal forests in Canada, Russia, and areas with melting permafrost absorb more CO₂ than they release.