NASA selects Scripps-led EDGE to map glaciers, forests and coasts

NASA picked the Earth Dynamics Geodetic Explorer in February 2026; the Scripps-led mission will measure glaciers, forests and coasts with lidar, with launch readiness no earlier than 2030.

Theo Anand

Science and Earth

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NASA mission to map Earth's coastlines and glaciers takes shape AI illustrationhow this picture was made

NASA selected the Earth Dynamics Geodetic Explorer (EDGE) mission in February 2026 to measure forests, glaciers, ice sheets, sea ice and coastal regions with imaging lidar. ^[7] The mission is led by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. EDGE's launch readiness date is no earlier than 2030.

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