Gaining Momentum

Abstract

This chapter covers the period 2009–2014. With the Obama Administration, the Earth Science program became more “climate centric.” Freilich crossed swords with Deputy Administrator Lori Garver who pushed him to go from measurement to mitigation. NASA established an interdisciplinary Sea-Level Change Team (N-SLCT) to enhance its communications to the public. The climate sensors came off NPOESS and back to NASA. Freilich and NOAA agreed that NOAA would fund an operational Jason-3, while Freilich sought to put his money into a second-generation wide-swath sea-level satellite he and the Decadal Survey wanted, SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite).