NASA and partners launch mission to monitor sea levels

NASA has teamed up with US and European partners to launch a satellite intended to monitor global sea levels as world leaders become more concerned with the rising sea levels around the world. 

The satellite was launched on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The launch took place this past Saturday in California at the Space Launch Complex 4E. 

The satellite that has been launched is about the size of a small pickup truck and it will monitor sea levels, adding to data that has been collected for almost 30 years. 

Karen St. Germain, director of NASA's Earth Science Division had this to say about the project and its objective: "The Earth is changing, and this satellite will help deepen our understanding of how. The changing Earth processes are affecting sea level globally, but the impact on local communities varies widely. International collaboration is critical to both understanding these changes and informing coastal communities around the world."