In 1992, the Topex/Poseidon satellite generated the first data on the so-called "global sea level". As rising global sea level curves became increasingly central to climate discourses, practices and policies, the satellite became a crucial reference in scientific and political debates. Until now, however, the history of global climate as a scientific, political and cultural concept and the history of satellite technology have followed parallel paths.

 

The aim of this project is to explore how the scientific, technical, organizational, communicative, and institutional activities of the actors involved in the design, development, and use of the Topex/Poseidon satellite data intersected with emerging climate narratives, imaginaries, politics, and practices of the time.

 

Understanding this recent history, the legacy of which persists today, is a necessary contribution to urgent debates about the climate crisis.