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PBS Space Time

The Most Important Satellite You’ve (Probably) Never Heard Of

Season 11 Episode 10 | 12m 39s

One of the most important reasons we go to space is to know our own planet better. Today I'm going to tell you about an orbiting facility that literally watches Earth's biosphere breath and grow and die with incredible resolution. I'll talk about its profound existential and economic importance, and about why it's in danger of being lost.

Aired: 09/03/25
Extras
Watch • 17:14
PBS Space Time
Why The Multiverse Could Be Real
Can something that exists be bad science?
Episode: S11 E9 | 17:14
Watch • 18:56
PBS Space Time
Why Is All DNA Right Handed?
It may be that our very DNA inherited its twist from the underlying handedness of reality.
Episode: S11 E8 | 18:56
Watch • 17:21
PBS Space Time
Are The Fundamental Constants Finely Tuned? | The Naturalness Problem
Did God have any choice in creating the world? So asked Albert Einstein
Episode: S11 E7 | 17:21
Watch • 18:19
PBS Space Time
The Crisis In Physics: Are We Missing 17 Layers of Reality?
What if, just before we reach the bottom, we find out that reductionism fails?
Episode: S11 E6 | 18:19
Watch • 19:03
PBS Space Time
Is Our Model of Dark Energy Wrong? | New 4.2σ Results
The biggest news in cosmology in recent years is that dark energy may be fading away.
Episode: S11 E5 | 19:03
Watch • 18:50
PBS Space Time
Is There A Simple Solution To The Fermi Paradox?
Does this also explain why there are no aliens?
Episode: S11 E4 | 18:50
Watch • 16:58
PBS Space Time
Quantum Energy Teleportation is Real!
Quantum energy teleportation may be as close as we get to transporter beams. But how close is that?
Episode: S11 E3 | 16:58
Watch • 14:50
PBS Space Time
Why Didn’t Antimatter Destroy The Universe?
Why is there any matter in the universe? A new antimatter breakthrough at LHC holds clues.
Episode: S11 E2 | 14:50
Watch • 16:30
PBS Space Time
New Evidence: Earth Had Rings (and Might Regain Them)
There’s an extremely good chance that Earth once did have a ring system.
Episode: S11 E1 | 16:30
Watch • 17:23
PBS Space Time
How Astrophysics Can Literally Save the World
How is it possible to tell if a space rock will one day collide with the Earth?
Episode: S10 E37 | 17:23
Latest Episodes
All
  • All
  • PBS Space Time Season 11
  • PBS Space Time Season 10
  • PBS Space Time Season 9
  • PBS Space Time Season 8
  • PBS Space Time Season 7
  • PBS Space Time Season 6
  • PBS Space Time Season 5
  • PBS Space Time Season 4
  • PBS Space Time Season 3
  • PBS Space Time Season 2
  • PBS Space Time Season 1
Watch • 17:14
PBS Space Time
Why The Multiverse Could Be Real
Can something that exists be bad science?
Episode: S11 E9 | 17:14
Watch • 18:56
PBS Space Time
Why Is All DNA Right Handed?
It may be that our very DNA inherited its twist from the underlying handedness of reality.
Episode: S11 E8 | 18:56
Watch • 17:21
PBS Space Time
Are The Fundamental Constants Finely Tuned? | The Naturalness Problem
Did God have any choice in creating the world? So asked Albert Einstein
Episode: S11 E7 | 17:21
Watch • 18:19
PBS Space Time
The Crisis In Physics: Are We Missing 17 Layers of Reality?
What if, just before we reach the bottom, we find out that reductionism fails?
Episode: S11 E6 | 18:19
Watch • 19:03
PBS Space Time
Is Our Model of Dark Energy Wrong? | New 4.2σ Results
The biggest news in cosmology in recent years is that dark energy may be fading away.
Episode: S11 E5 | 19:03
Watch • 18:50
PBS Space Time
Is There A Simple Solution To The Fermi Paradox?
Does this also explain why there are no aliens?
Episode: S11 E4 | 18:50
Watch • 16:58
PBS Space Time
Quantum Energy Teleportation is Real!
Quantum energy teleportation may be as close as we get to transporter beams. But how close is that?
Episode: S11 E3 | 16:58
Watch • 14:50
PBS Space Time
Why Didn’t Antimatter Destroy The Universe?
Why is there any matter in the universe? A new antimatter breakthrough at LHC holds clues.
Episode: S11 E2 | 14:50
Watch • 16:30
PBS Space Time
New Evidence: Earth Had Rings (and Might Regain Them)
There’s an extremely good chance that Earth once did have a ring system.
Episode: S11 E1 | 16:30
Watch • 17:23
PBS Space Time
How Astrophysics Can Literally Save the World
How is it possible to tell if a space rock will one day collide with the Earth?
Episode: S10 E37 | 17:23