Oceans

Earth
Earth Science
Human Dimensions
Life at NASA
Oceans
What We Do
Space-based technology could help track plastic and other flotsam by its ‘fingerprints.’ In late 2025, scientists reported that, for the first time, they were able to detect concentrations of plastic pollution on land using NASA’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) sensor aboard the International Space Station.
Posted January 26, 2026
Earth Observatory
Oceans
Water Blooms
A vibrant display of phytoplankton encircled the remote New Zealand islands.
Posted January 16, 2026
Earth
Goddard Space Flight Center
Human Dimensions
Landsat
Oceans
PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem)
Water on Earth
NASA satellites are helping Maine oyster farmers pick better sites and plan when oysters will be ready to harvest.
Posted January 15, 2026
Earth Observatory
Hurricanes & Typhoons
Oceans
The category 5 hurricane stirred up carbonate sediment near Jamaica in what scientists believe is the largest such event in the satellite record.
Posted January 13, 2026
Sentinel-6B
Earth
Earth Science
Earth Science Division
Jason-CS (Continuity of Service) / Sentinel-6
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Kennedy Space Center
NASA Headquarters
Oceans
Science & Research
Science Mission Directorate
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich Satellite
NASA will provide live coverage of prelaunch and launch activities for Sentinel-6B, an international mission delivering critical sea level and ocean data to protect coastal infrastructure, improve weather forecasting, and support commercial activities at sea. Launch is targeted at 12:21 a.m. EST, Monday, Nov. 17 (9:21 p.m. PST, Sunday, Nov.
Posted November 14, 2025
Tsunamis
Earth
Earth Science
Earthquakes
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Natural Disasters
Oceans
Water on Earth
A massive earthquake and subsequent tsunami off Russia in late July tested an experimental detection system that had deployed a critical component just the day before. A recent tsunami triggered by a magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula sent pressure waves to the upper layer of the atmosphere, NASA scientists have reported.
Posted September 12, 2025
Sentinel-6B
Jason-CS (Continuity of Service) / Sentinel-6
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Oceans
Weather and Atmospheric Dynamics
Sea surface height data from the Sentinel-6B satellite, led by NASA and ESA, will help with the development of marine weather forecasts, alerting ships to possible dangers. Because most global trade travels by ship, accurate, timely ocean forecasts are essential.
Posted September 11, 2025
EMIT (Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation)
Earth
Earth Science Technology Office
Human Dimensions
International Space Station (ISS)
Oceans
Water on Earth
Proof-of-concept results from the mouth of the Tijuana River in San Diego County show how an instrument called EMIT could aid wastewater detection. An instrument built at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory  to map minerals on Earth is now revealing clues about water quality.
Posted June 12, 2025
SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography)
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Oceanography
Oceans
The international mission collects two-dimensional views of smaller waves and currents that are bringing into focus the ocean’s role in supporting life on Earth. Small things matter, at least when it comes to ocean features like waves and eddies.
Posted May 15, 2025
Earth
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)
Oceans
PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, Ocean Ecosystem)
In the waters off New England, one of Earth’s rarest mammals swims slowly, mouth agape. The North Atlantic right whale filters clouds of tiny reddish zooplankton — called Calanus finmarchicus — from the sea. These zooplankton, no bigger than grains of rice, are the whale’s lifeline. Only about 370 of these massive creatures remain. For […]
Posted May 5, 2025
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