NASA's CO2-scan sat arrives at launch site

[Rick]

NASA's first satellite dedicated to monitoring atmospheric carbon dioxide has arrived at its launch site. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory will take off from Vandenberg airforce base in January.

According to the space agency, the spacecraft will help to "solve some of the lingering mysteries in our understanding of Earth's carbon cycle and its primary atmospheric component, carbon dioxide".

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/11/14/nasa_oco_launch_site/

[Rick]

Nasa's first mission to measure carbon dioxide (CO2) from space has failed following a rocket malfunction.

Officials said the fairing - the part of the rocket which covers the satellite on top of the launcher - had failed to separate properly.

Officials said the satellite had now crashed in Antarctica.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7907570.stm

[Rick]

...and from The Register:

NASA's CO2-scan sat set to launch: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/02/24/oco_launch/
NASA CO2 scan satellite launch fails: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/02/24/oco_launch_failure/

[Rick]

Global climate science could get a kick in the pants with NASA's new pact with Cisco Systems to monitor and report carbon buildup across the world in "near real-time."

More: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/03/04/nasa_cisco_planetary_skin/