Review of NASA Earth Observations, Recent Science, and Practical Applications

Abstract

Freely available government satellite observations enable scientists to monitor changes across the Earth system. Calibrated and validated global satellite data have advanced our understanding of interactions within and between the energy, carbon, and water cycles. In addition to answering fundamental science questions, these environmental indicators are also used to inform practical decisions relevant to agriculture, health, renewable energy, infrastructure, and more. Assimilating satellite observations into models fills data gaps and provides predictive tools. Partnering with other organizations to reach new communities and combining environmental data with sector-specific data increases its utility and societal benefit. Additionally, under the principles of open science, government agencies are working together to make useful information derived from global observations, both data and software tools, more easily accessible. This paper reviews recent NASA Earth satellite missions, highlights a few examples of science discoveries and practical applications, and describes new activities and directions.