Monitoring the Pulse of America's Natural Resources From the Orbiting Carbon Observatory Missions

Abstract

NASA’s FY2026 President’s Budget Request omits continued funding for the Orbiting Carbon Observatory missions (OCO-2 and OCO-3) beyond FY2025, ending September 30, 2025. The unexpected but scientifically transformative observations of solar induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) - originally not part of the missions' design—have opened new opportunities for detecting photosynthesis from space and monitoring the health of the planet's natural resources. Thanks to their high spectral and spatial resolution and over a decade of experience from the project and the science teams, these missions have set a gold standard for space-based retrievals of SIF. Both instruments remain healthy and continue to produce high-quality data that offer great potential to continue transforming our fundamental understanding of terrestrial ecology and to provide actionable information to manage risks associated with extreme weather events such as droughts, floods and wildfires. In this commentary, we outline how OCO-2 and OCO-3 SIF data support crop-yield forecasting, drought early warning, forest and rangeland management, and discuss why keeping these satellites operational is essential for U.S. agriculture, national interests, and global food security.