The Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) was a NASA Earth System Science Pathfinder Project (ESSP) mission designed to make precise, time-dependent global measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) from an Earth orbiting satellite. On February 24, 2009, OCO failed to reach orbit.
However, in December 2009, the Congressional Conference committee directed NASA to allocate no less than $50M in FY10 for the initial costs associated with an OCO replacement. Released on 01 February 2010, the President's Budget, provides for adequate funding to support a launch of the OCO re-flight mission (now known as OCO-2) no later than February 2013.
CO2 is a critical component of the Earth's atmosphere. Since the beginning of the industrial age, the concentration of CO2 has increased by about 38%, from about 280 parts per million to over 380 parts per million. Scientific studies indicate that CO2 is one of several gases that trap heat near the surface of the Earth. These gases are known asgreenhouse gases. Many scientists have concluded that substantial increases in the abundance of CO2 will generate an increase in the Earth's surface temperature. Historical records provide evidence of this trend, which is often called global warming. Current research indicates that continuing increases in atmospheric CO2 may modify the environment in a variety of ways. These changes may impact ocean currents, the jet stream and rain patterns. Some parts of the Earth might actually cool while the average temperature increases. Thus, a more correct term for this phenomenon is climate change.
CO2 can enter the atmosphere from a variety of sources. Some sources are natural, such as rotting plants, forest fires and ordinary breathing. Human activities augment the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere. Automobiles, factories and home heating units burn fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas. Burning these fossil fuels releases CO2 into the atmosphere.