Michael Freilich, the former head of NASA’s Earth Science division, did not live long enough to see the satellite that bears his name reach orbit. But with it, his mission to monitor the oceans from space begins life anew.

Jointly owned—and jointly named—by NASA and the European Commission, the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite was launched on Nov. 21 to continue a 30-year program charting sea level rise from 830 mi. above the planet.

Accessexclusive subscriber-only coverage as measurements of ocean heights provide real-time indication of Earth’s changing climate.

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