NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 (OCO-3)

Carbon dioxide is changing the planet. In fact, CO2 is the biggest driver of rising temperatures and the corresponding climate change. Each year, we release nearly 40 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere, and about half of that is absorbed by ocean and land. Understanding where that carbon dioxide comes from and where it goes is key to dealing with a warming world. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3 (OCO-3) will continue CO2 measurements begun by the OCO-2 satellite.

As an instrument mounted on the International Space Station, OCO-3 will investigate CO2 levels related to growing urban centers and increased fossil fuel combustion. It will also explore, for the first time, daily variations in the release and uptake of CO2 by the world’s rainforests.