Research and monitoring program
Appears in 3 stories · Last updated Sep 23, 2026
As of September 2026: Documenting the reservoir decline from orbit
Lake Powell, the second-largest reservoir in the United States, has fallen to its lowest level on record. The surface dropped below the April 2023 mark on August 15 and kept sinking through early September, when it sat at 3,517.24 feet.
Updated Sep 23
As of August 2026: Depends on Starship as its crewed lunar lander
SpaceX broke its own turnaround record on August 15, launching two Falcon 9 rockets 38 minutes apart from Florida and California. One carried Globalstar satellites from Cape Canaveral; the other flew a classified Space Force mission from Vandenberg, capping a stretch that included the year's 51st West Coast launch and 94th Falcon 9 flight overall.
Updated Aug 16
As of August 2026: Supplied the satellite record showing the long decline
In 2020 the world watched Australia, California, and Siberia burn on repeat. Yet the total carbon released by fire worldwide stayed near the lowest level in the satellite record.
Updated Aug 5
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