Tag: Earth Science

Testing in the Clouds: NASA Flies to Improve Satellite Data

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3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) Piloted by NASA’s Tim Williams, the ER-2 science aircraft ascends for one of the final science flights for the GSFC Lidar Observation and Validation Experiment (GLOVE) on Feb. 1, 2025. As a collaboration between engineers, scientists, and aircraft professionals, GLOVE aims to improve satellite data products for Earth Science applications. NASA/Steve Freeman In February, NASA’s ER-2 science aircraft flew instruments designed to improve satellite data products and Earth science observations. From data collection to processing, satellite systems continue to…

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GLOBE Mission Earth Supports Career Technical Education

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Explore This Section Science Science Activation GLOBE Mission Earth Supports… Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Activation Stories Citizen Science   4 min read GLOBE Mission Earth Supports Career Technical Education The NASA Science Activation program’s GLOBE Mission EARTH (GME) project is forging powerful connections between career technical education (CTE) programs and real-world science, inspiring students across the United States to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). GME is a collaborative effort between NASA scientists, educators, and schools that brings NASA Earth…

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GLOBE, NASA, and the Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School in Queens, New York

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Explore This Section Science Science Activation GLOBE, NASA, and the Monsignor… Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Activation Stories Citizen Science   4 min read GLOBE, NASA, and the Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School in Queens, New York When students actively participate in scientific investigations that connect to their everyday lives, something powerful happens: they begin to see themselves as scientists. This sense of relevance and ownership can spark a lifelong interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), paving the way for continued education…

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NASA Measures Moonlight to Improve Earth Observations

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The airborne Lunar Spectral Irradiance (air-LUSI) instrument is moved across the hangar floor by robotic engineer Alexander McCafferty-Leroux ,from right to left, co-investigator Dr. John Woodward, NIST astronomer Dr. Susana Deustua, air-LUSI chief system engineer Dr. Kathleen “Kat” Scanlon, and members of the ER-2 ground crew at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, in March 2025. NASA/Genaro Vavuris Flying high above the clouds and moon-gazing may sound like a scene from a timeless romance, but NASA did just that in the name of Earth science research. In March…

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Findings from the Field: A Research Symposium for Student Scientists

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Explore This Section Science Science Activation Findings from the Field: A… Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Activation Stories Citizen Science   3 min read Findings from the Field: A Research Symposium for Student Scientists Within the scientific community, peer review has become the process norm for which an author’s research or ideas undergo careful examination by other experts in their field. It encourages each scientist to meet the high standards that they themselves, as writers and reviewers, have aided in setting. It has become…

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Connected Learning Ecosystems: Educators Gather to Empower Learners and Themselves

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Explore This Section Science Science Activation Connected Learning Ecosystems:… Overview Learning Resources Science Activation Teams SME Map Opportunities More Science Activation Stories Citizen Science   5 min read Connected Learning Ecosystems: Educators Gather to Empower Learners and Themselves Many educators would agree that despite working and communicating with dozens, even hundreds, of people each year, the role can feel isolating. Learners come and go, leaving educators to question: Was anything retained? Will they take this knowledge home? Will they share it at their after-school activities? How will it ultimately impact…

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The Earth Observer Editor’s Corner: January–March 2025

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Explore This Section Earth Home Earth Observer Home Editor’s Corner Feature Articles Meeting Summaries News Science in the News Calendars In Memoriam More Archives 11 min read The Earth Observer Editor’s Corner: January–March 2025 NASA’s Earth Observing fleet continues to age gracefully. While several new missions have joined the fleet in the past year, scientists and engineers work to extend the life of existing missions and maximize their science along the way. The crowning example is the first Earth Observing System (EOS) Flagship mission, Terra, which celebrated a quarter-century in…

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NASA-ISRO Mission Will Map Farmland From Planting to Harvest

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The NISAR mission will help map crops and track their development through the entire growing season. Using synthetic aperture radar, the satellite will be able to observe both small plots of farmland and monitor trends across broad regions, gathering data to in-form agricultural decision making. Adobe Stock/Greg Kelton Data from the NISAR satellite will be used to map crop growth, track plant health, and monitor soil moisture — offering detailed, timely information for decision making. When it launches this year, the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite will provide a…

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NASA Awards Launch Service for Mission to Study Storm Formation

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Credit: NASA NASA has selected Firefly Aerospace Inc. of Cedar Park, Texas, to provide the launch service for the agency’s Investigation of Convective Updrafts (INCUS) mission, which aims to understand why, when, and where tropical convective storms form, and why some storms produce extreme weather. The mission will launch on the company’s Alpha rocket from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. The selection is part of NASA’s Venture-Class Acquisition of Dedicated and Rideshare (VADR) launch services contract. This contract allows the agency to make fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity awards during VADR’s five-year ordering period,…

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NASA Uses New Technology to Understand California Wildfires

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3 min read Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater) The Compact Fire Infrared Radiance Spectral tracker, or C-FIRST, is managed an operated by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and supported by NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office. Combining state-of-the-art imaging technology with a compact design, C-FIRST enables scientists to gather data about fires and their impacts on ecosystems with greater accuracy and speed than other instruments. C-FIRST was developed as a spaceborne instrument, and flew onboard NASA’s B200 aircraft in January 2025 to conduct an airborne test. NASA/JPL-Caltech The January…

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