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| Image | Name | Short Description | Launch Date | Target | Acronym | Destination | Summary | Keywords |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Mid-Infrared Instrument | Designed to play a key role in NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, the Mid-Infrared Instrument, or MIRI, will image stars and galaxies in infrared light. | 2018 | Universe | MIRI | Designed to play a key role in NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, the Mid-Infrared Instrument, or MIRI, will image stars and galaxies in infrared light. Data from the instrument will contribute to investigations about the evolution of the universe and the search for the first-ever episode of star formation, or "first light."
The James Webb Space Telescope is under development and working toward a 2018 launch date. |
Universe, space missions, space telescope, James Webb, MIRI, James Webb instruments, black holes, Big Bang, space exploration, JPL, NASA, NASAJPL | |
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InSight | The InSight mission (formerly called GEMS), would place a lander on Mars that would be designed to drill beneath the surface and investigate the planet's deep interior to better understand Mars' evolution as a rocky planet. | 03/2016 | Mars | InSight | Mars | The InSight mission (formerly called GEMS), would place a lander on Mars that would be designed to drill beneath the surface and investigate the planet's deep interior to better understand Mars' evolution as a rocky planet. As part of its investigation, InSight would use a seismometer and a heat-flow probe to study the interior structure of the Red Planet.
InSight was provisionally selected for funding through NASA's Discovery Program for launch in 2016 and the spacecraft design would be based on NASA's successful Phoenix Mars lander mission. |
Mars, Mars missions, NASA Discovery Program, Discovery missions, proposed missions, NASA mission proposals, InSight, Seismology on Mars, GEMS, JPL, NASA, NASAJPL |
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Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 | The Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2, or OCO-2, is a planned Earth satellite mission to study carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and provide scientists with a better idea of the chemical compound's impacts on climate change. | 2014 | Earth | OCO-2 | The Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2, or OCO-2, is a planned Earth satellite mission to study carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and provide scientists with a better idea of the chemical compound's impacts on climate change.
The satellite is a replica of the original Orbiting Carbon Observatory that was scheduled to launch in early 2009, but was unsuccessful due to a launch vehicle failure. Plans to proceed with the satellite are currently on hold pending an evaluation of launch services options for the spacecraft. |
Earth, Earth missions, planet Earth, climate, climate change, NASA missions, spacecraft, space missions, space exploration, carbon, OCO, OCO-2, New, OCO, Orbiting Carbon Observatory, JPL, NASA, NASAJPL | |
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Disturbance Reduction System | The Disturbance Reduction System, or DRS, designed as part of the Space Technology 7 project, is an experimental system for measuring gravitational waves in space, which are thought to contain important data about the history of the universe. | 2014 | Gravitational waves | DRS | The Disturbance Reduction System, or DRS, designed as part of the Space Technology 7 project, is an experimental system for measuring gravitational waves in space, which are thought to contain important data about the history of the universe.
The system will be incorporated into the European Space Agency's LISA Pathfinder spacecraft, launching in 2014 to test key technology for a future ESA/NASA Laser Interferometer Space Antenna mission. |
technology, spacecraft navigation, navigation, DRS, Disturbance Reduction System, LISA, LISA Pathfinder, ESA, European Space Agency, Space Technology 7, JPL, NASA, NASAJPL | |
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Soil Moisture Active Passive | Soil Moisture Active Passive, or SMAP, is a future Earth satellite mission designed to measure and map Earth's soil moisture and freeze/thaw state to better understand terrestrial water, carbon and energy cycles. | 2014 | Earth | SMAP | Soil Moisture Active Passive, or SMAP, is a future Earth satellite mission designed to measure and map Earth's soil moisture and freeze/thaw state to better understand terrestrial water, carbon and energy cycles.
Using an advanced radar and radiometer, the satellite will be able to peer beneath clouds, vegetation and other surface features to monitor water and energy fluxes, helping improve flood predictions and drought monitoring. Data from the three-year mission will also play a crucial role in understanding changes in water availability, food production and other societal impacts of climate change. |
Earth, climate change, climate studies, soil moisture, SMAP, Soil Moisture Active Passive, Earth satellites, NASA satellites, global climate change, global warming, climate, JPL, NASA, NASAJPL | |
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Jason 3 | Extending the timeline of ocean surface topography measurements begun by the Topex/Poseidon and Jason 1 and 2 satellites, Jason 3 will make highly detailed measurements of sea-level on Earth to gain insight into ocean circulation and climate change. | 03/2015 | Earth | Extending the timeline of ocean surface topography measurements begun by the Topex/Poseidon and Jason 1 and 2 satellites, Jason 3 will make highly detailed measurements of sea-level on Earth to gain insight into ocean circulation and climate change.
The satellite is scheduled to launch in 2015, and like its predecessors, is a cooperative of agencies and organizations around the world. |
Earth, satellite, climate change, global climate change, global warming, NASA Earth science, ocean, ocean topography, sea level, oceanography, JPL, NASA, NASAJPL, Eyes on the Earth | ||
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Surface Water and Ocean Topography | Designed to make the first-ever global survey of Earth's surface water, the Surface Water and Ocean Topography, or SWOT, satellite will collect detailed measurements of how water bodies on Earth change over time. | 2019 | Earth | SWOT | Designed to make the first-ever global survey of Earth's surface water, the Surface Water and Ocean Topography, or SWOT, satellite will collect detailed measurements of how water bodies on Earth change over time. The satellite will survey at least 90 percent of the globe, studying Earth's lakes, rivers, reservoirs and oceans at least twice every 21 days to improve ocean circulation models, and weather and climate predictions, and aid in freshwater management around the world.
One of 15 missions listed in the 2007 National Research Council Decadal Survey as missions that NASA should implement in the coming decade, SWOT will be jointly developed and managed by NASA, the French Space Agency (CNES), and the Canadian Space Agency. |
Earth, satellite, ocean, ocean topography, sea level, sea rise, climate change, global climate change, global warming, weather, climate, Eyes on the Earth, NASA satellites, JPL, NASA, NASAJPL | |
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Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3 | The Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3, or OCO-3, is a future space instrument designed to investigate important questions about the distribution of carbon dioxide on Earth as it relates to growing urban populations and changing patterns of fossil fuel combustion. | To be determined | Earth | OCO-3 | The Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3, or OCO-3, is a future space instrument designed to investigate important questions about the distribution of carbon dioxide on Earth as it relates to growing urban populations and changing patterns of fossil fuel combustion.
NASA plans to develop and assemble the instrument using spare materials from the successful development and launch of the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 in 2014 and host the instrument on the International Space Station or another space-based platform. |
Earth, carbon dioxide, CO2, pollution, fossil fuels, population growth, Eyes on the Earth, JPL missions, NASA missions, Earth missions, Earth satellites, OCO, OCO 2, OCO 3, JPL, NASA, NASAJPL |
