In June 2024, Ghassan Taha was a Co-Investigator on the proposal, "The Stratosphere Troposphere Response using Infrared Vertically-Resolved Light Explorer (STRIVE)," led by Dr. Lyatt Jaegle' (University of Washington (UW)). STRIVE was among the four proposals selected for one-year mission concept studies. After that one year, NASA reviewed the four studies to select two that would implement new satellite missions.

On February 5, 2026, NASA selected the STRIVE mission along with the EDGE mission (Earth Dynamics Geodetic Explorer) as the two missions "for continued development as part of the agency's Earth System Explorers Program." The STRIVE website presents the questions the mission will aim to answer, addresses how the mission will help with preparing for extreme weather events, and how discoveries will serve society and the country.

Congratulations to Dr. Lyatt Jaeglé (PI, UW), Dr. Ghassan Taha (Co-I, 614/MSU), Dr. Paul Newman (Co-I, 614/UMBC), and the entire STRIVE team on being selected. Dr. Taha, as ARGOS algorithm lead, will develop and validate the Aerosol Radiometer for Global Observations of the Stratosphere (ARGOS) algorithm (ARGOS is one of STRIVE's "two advanced limb-viewing instruments, the other being ALICE). Dr. Newman's role is to "utilize STRIVE observations to examine the recovery of the ozone layer and stratospheric dynamics."