The satellite will float 22,000 miles above the equator and examine both solar-based fluorescence (a sign of changes in photosynthesis and plant stress) as well as gas levels in the atmosphere. At a ground resolution of 3 to 6 miles, the mission promises "unprecedented detail" -- it'll show just where carbon is coming from and where it's going.

There's no mention of a specific launch date. However, NASA expects to spend $166 million on the mission over the next 5 years. That's not a trivial amount, but it could pay dividends if it gives researchers a much better understanding of both Earth's natural rhythms and our effect on them through deforestation.