The Trump administration has started plans to shut down at least two major satellite missions, a decision that could have serious consequences for climate science, agriculture, and even national security.
According to current and former NASA employees, the administration has told the space agency to create “Phase F plans,” which detail ways to end missions, including one that would involve a satellite burning up in Earth’s atmosphere.
This order comes even though the equipment is advanced and expected to keep working for years, with a 2023 NASA review calling their data “exceptionally high quality” and suggesting the missions continue. The missions being targeted are called the Orbiting Carbon Observatories, and they are vital for tracking carbon dioxide levels and plant growth worldwide. One instrument is on a separate satellite, while the other is attached to the International Space Station.
The data from these observatories is widely used by scientists, energy companies, and farmers, who depend on detailed information about carbon in the air and crop health, per NPR. These missions are the only federal satellite projects specifically meant to monitor greenhouse gases that warm the planet. The reason behind the administration’s push to end them is unclear, especially since they are still useful and a lot of money has already been spent on them.
NASA is losing a satellite, despite having it approved
The administration’s move has faced strong criticism from Congress. Democratic lawmakers have raised concerns, saying the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and its director are overreaching by telling NASA and other federal agencies to stop spending on projects that Congress has already approved.
A letter was sent to the acting NASA Administrator, warning against shutting down missions that Congress has funded. Lawmakers stress that Congress, not the executive branch, has the power to decide how money is spent. They argue that cutting funding or reducing Earth-observing satellite operations would be disastrous, weakening the country’s ability to predict, manage, and respond to extreme weather and climate disasters. However, an OMB spokesperson has said their office was not part of NASA Earth Science leadership’s request for termination plans.
Trump trying to eliminate data
— Souli~FL needs active voters! Democrat (@GroovyChic1960s) August 4, 2025
collection that gives us real data
on climate change to eliminate
knowledge to survive! Destroy a
satellite on purpose that scientists
and farmers rely on…why?#wtpBlue
https://t.co/Zz1qI1PM6t
Beyond their main goal of measuring carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the Orbiting Carbon Observatories have provided an unexpected and extremely useful benefit: tracking plant growth. Shortly after their launch, scientists found that the instruments were accidentally picking up a certain wavelength of light given off during photosynthesis. This “happy accident” has turned into an incredibly valuable tool, producing detailed maps of plant photosynthesis around the world.
This information helps farmers predict crop yields, monitor droughts, and manage rangelands and forests. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as many private farming consultants, now use this data to forecast and track crop performance.
The usefulness of this data goes even further, touching on national security issues. Crop failures, often made worse by long droughts and extreme weather, are known to drive mass migration worldwide. The information from these satellite missions can help predict future political instability. For example, long droughts in places like Honduras have contributed to migration northward, and farming damage in Northern Africa from extreme weather has also pushed people to leave. Experts say this is clearly a national security concern.
