NASA is focusing on climate change — specifically, observing our changing climate from space. The agency named a new head scientist who will also serve as senior climate advisor. But NASA’s focus on climate isn’t new. It has been observing the Earth’s climate for decades.

What is new is a renewed focus on missions aimed at tracking climate-related data from space and inspiring action down here on Earth. Four missions are set to launch just this year with that goal in mind.

To talk more about NASA’s past and future efforts to monitor and mitigate climate change, we’ll speak with NASA’s Karen St. Germain, the director of NASA’s Earth Science division.

Then, from Earth to Mars. Almost a year ago, three missions arrived at the red planet. What have we learned from our robotic explorers? We’ll check in with Jake Robins, host of the WeMartians podcast, for the rundown on the red planet robots.