Earth Science Missions
Seeing Earth from Space
NASA’s Earth Science Division (ESD) missions help us to understand our planet’s interconnected systems, from a global scale down to minute processes. Using observations from satellites, instruments on the International Space Station, airplanes, balloons, ships and on land, ESD researchers collect data about the science of our planet’s atmospheric motion and composition; land cover, land use and vegetation; ocean currents, temperatures and upper-ocean life; and ice on land and sea.
Active Missions
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich (formerly, Satellite A) was renamed in February 2020 to honor Dr. Michael Freilich, director of NASA’s Earth Science Division from 2006-2019. He died in August 2020, leaving a legacy of service to Earth science, and satellite oceanography…
Sentinel-6B will extend NASA's sea level measurements gold-standard dataset into its fourth decade, providing an accurate picture of global and local sea levels.
PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) will help us better understand our ocean and atmosphere by measuring key variables associated with cloud formation, particles and pollutants in the air, and microscopic, floating marine life (phytoplankton). These observations will help us…
TROPICS (Time-Resolved Observations of Precipitation structure and storm Intensity with a Constellation of Smallsats) is a constellation of four identical CubeSats designed to observe tropical cyclones in a unique, inclined low Earth orbit over Earth’s tropics – an orbit that…
Terra, the flagship of NASA’s Earth Observing System satellites, studies the interactions among Earth's atmosphere, lands, oceans, and radiant energy, providing insight into how the Earth system is changing, revealing humanity's impact on the planet, and providing crucial data about…
Future Missions
Space Weather Follow On (SWFO) program develops and deploys operational satellite systems that study space weather and safeguard society.
GLIMR (Geosynchronous Littoral Imaging and Monitoring Radiometer) will be a space-based instrument that will help scientists observe and monitor ocean biology, chemistry, and ecology throughout the Gulf of Mexico, the southeastern U.S. coastline and Amazon River plume that stretches to…
Monitoring Earth Via Satellite
An animated view of NASA's Earth observing fleet, as it looks today. This 30 second visualization is updated once per day. Time shown in UTC.
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Explore Earth Science
Earth Science at Work
NASA Earth Science helps Americans respond to challenges and societal needs — such as wildland fires, hurricanes, and water supplies…
Earth Science Missions
In order to study the Earth as a whole system and understand how it is changing, NASA develops and supports…
Earth Science Data
Open access to NASA’s archive of Earth science data
