NASA and the Politics of Climate Research, 1st ed. 2023 Satellites and Rising Seas Palgrave Studies in the History of Science and Technology Series

Today, there exists an integrated, large-scale satellite system to track sea-level rise, its speed, causes, and impacts. Building it was a struggle every step of the way. It was the most vivid and potentially consequential program within NASA?s larger Earth Science directorate. How did it happen? Who did what? Why? This book seeks to answer such questions. It goes back to the origins of NASA?s interest in the oceans in the 1960s and first true ocean satellite, Seasat, in 1978. After three months of operation, Seasat failed. But before it did, it showed how much satellites could tell about the ocean?s dynamics. In many ways, sea-level rise is the clearest and most understandable result of a warming planet.

1 Introduction.- The Sea-Level Threat.- Satellite Observation.- Bureaucratic Entrepreneurship.- The Narrative Ahead.- 2 The Coming of Seasat.- The Apollo Illusion.- Initiating.- Thinking About the Oceans.- Fletcher’s Vision.- Ozone Depletion.- Stepping Stones to Seasat.- Enlisting Carl Wunsch: A Scientific Gatekeeper.- Seasat’s Problems.- Seasat Fails.- 3 Adopting TOPEX/Poseidon.- W. Stanley Wilson.- Connecting with Scientists.- Going Abroad.- Formulating a Program.- Selling Science.- Getting a Recommitment.- Finding a Partner.- The Vienna Debacle.- An End-Run to a Beggs Decision.- Oceanographic Resistance.- Seeking Help.- Wunsch’s Legerdemain.- Getting a “New Start”.- 4 Breakthrough for Sea-Level Rise.- Developing Technology and Partnership.- Post-Challenger: EOS Rises.- A Sense of Momentum.- Bush’s Priorities.- EOS vs. “the Ocean from Space”.- EOS Under Fire.- Wilson Departs.- Close Calls.- The Launch.- A Triumph and Surprise.- Continuity a Must.- 5 Remaking a Mission.- Fisk and Tilford Go.- Kennel and Townsend.- Sea-Level Findings.- Reshaping Earth Science.- The Politics of Climate Change.- Consolidation.- Extending TOPEX/Poseidon.- GRACE.- Lindstrom.- Defending NASA.- From Townsend to Asrar.- 6 High Hopes.- Relinquishing EOS Follow-Ons.- NPOESS.- Enlisting EUMETSAT.- Moving Toward the Poles.- 7 “At Risk of Collapse”.- Initially: Good News.- Innovating Jason-2.- Synergy for Sea-Level Rise.- James Hansen and Asrar.- Earth Scientists Complain.- Partnering Problems.- Michael Griffin as Administrator.- Decadal Survey Interim Report.- TOPEX/Poseidon Ends.- Hansen Controversy Climaxes.- Adopting Jason-2.- The NPOESS Crisis.- Reactions.- Where Next?.- 8 Rebuilding Begins.- Instilling Confidence.- Using the Decadal Survey.- The NRC Decadal Survey.- Reactions.- Research Strategy.- Congress.- Prioritizing ICESAT-2.- Jason-2 Launches.- Decision-Making for Jason-3.- 9 Gaining Momentum.- Polar Melting.- NOAA’s Role.- Obama’s Policy Change.- Garver vs. Freilich.- A “Climate-Centric” Agenda.- Reality Check.- Looking for Partners.- IPCC.- Nelson Hearings.- Establishing a Sea-Level Change Team.- SWOT.- 10 Taking “The Lead”.- NOAA’s Dilemma.- Fighting.- The Zwally Dispute.- Freilich Bends and Accepts “The Lead”.- Trump as Catalyst.- 11 Mounting Defense.- Reassuring Scientists.- NASA Leadership.- The First Trump Budget.- Strengthening NASA’s Defense.- The Decadal Survey.- The Sea-Level Change Team.- Bridenstine Takes Command.- Launching.- Freilich Decides to Leave.- Jason-3.- The Rhythm of Innovation.- An Administrator’s Legacy.- 12 Advancing.- Unshackling NASA.- The Earth System Observatory.- The Era Ahead.- An Expanded Partnership.- 13 Conclusion.- Policy Innovation.- A Unifying Goal.- A Supportive Constituency.- Administrative Leadership.- The Initiator: Stanley Wilson,.-9–1992.- The Remaker: Charles Kennel,.-4–1996.- The Consolidator: William Townsend,.-6–1998.- The Embattled Maintainer: Ghassem Asrar,.-8–2006.- The Rebuilder and Institutionalizer: Michael Freilich, 2006–2019.- Toward the Future.

Shows how NASA established and sustained a mission to study sea-level rise, a serious impact of climate change Examines the origins of NASA’s interest in the oceans in the 1960s and first true ocean satellite Seasat, in 1978 Describes all aspects of creating that satellite, from how it was built to the people who worked on it