Research into Sea-Ice Cover Obstructed by Congress

Research into Sea-Ice Cover Obstructed by Congress

Congress ordered the dismantling of a back-up satellite (known as the F20 probe) needed to investigate the impact of climate change on sea-ice in the poles. Three aging satellites are currently in operation, but all are beginning to drift out of their orbits over the poles. One of the satellites broke down in mid-2017, and could have been replaced by the F20 probe, which was being kept in storage by the U.S. Air Force. However, before the F20 probe was launched, Congress ordered its dismantling because it did not want to provide funds to keep it in storage.