{"id":188730,"date":"2025-03-21T02:55:27","date_gmt":"2025-03-20T16:55:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/earth-science\/the-earth-observer-editors-corner-january-march-2025\/"},"modified":"2025-03-21T04:18:16","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T18:18:16","slug":"the-earth-observer-editors-corner-january-march-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=188730","title":{"rendered":"The Earth Observer Editor\u2019s Corner: January\u2013March 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\" hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-secondary-navigation\">\n<div class=\"hds-secondary-navigation-wrapper z-top width-100 padding-0\">\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-secondary-navigation width-full border-bottom-1px text-center hds-color-mode-dark hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-hdsnav\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"hds-secondary-nav-mobile-button display-flex tablet:display-flex desktop:display-none 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margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-editors-corner-banner.png\" rel=\"noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1037\" height=\"81\" src=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-editors-corner-banner.png?w=1037\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Editor's Corner header\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-editors-corner-banner.png 1037w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-editors-corner-banner.png?resize=300,23 300w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-editors-corner-banner.png?resize=768,60 768w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-editors-corner-banner.png?resize=1024,80 1024w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-editors-corner-banner.png?resize=400,31 400w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-editors-corner-banner.png?resize=600,47 600w, https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/eo-editors-corner-banner.png?resize=900,70 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1037px) 100vw, 1037px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"padding-top-5 padding-bottom-3 width-full maxw-full hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-article-intro\">\n<div class=\"width-full maxw-full article-header\">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2 width-full maxw-full\">\n<p class=\"label carbon-60 margin-0 margin-bottom-3 padding-0\">11 min read<\/p>\n<h1 class=\"display-48 margin-bottom-2\">The Earth Observer Editor\u2019s Corner: January\u2013March 2025<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>NASA\u2019s 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 orbit on December 18, 2024.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/terra.nasa.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Terra<\/a>, continues to collect daily morning Earth observations using <a href=\"https:\/\/terra.nasa.gov\/about\" rel=\"noopener\">five different instruments<\/a>: Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), Clouds and the Earth\u2019s Radiant Energy System (CERES), Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and Measurement of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT). Collectively, these observations have established a robust satellite record of global scientific processes to track changes in temperature, glaciers, clouds, vegetation, land-use, air quality, and natural hazards such as hurricanes, wildfires, and volcanic eruptions.<\/p>\n<p>Originally designed for a six-year prime mission, Terra continues to deliver data used by emergency managers, researchers, and modelers over a quarter-of-a-century later. On December 18th, 2024, NASA celebrated the 25<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary of Terra\u2019s launch with a celebration at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Visitor\u2019s Center. NASA Senior management [from NASA Headquarters and GSFC] as well as other key figures from Terra\u2019s long history gave brief remarks and perspectives on Terra\u2019s development and achievements. To read a review of the celebration, see \u201cCelebrating 25 Years of Terra.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/terra.nasa.gov\/25-years-of-terra-agu-2024\" rel=\"noopener\">Terra-related sessions (poster and oral)<\/a> during the Fall American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting were well-attended. The Terra team took advantage of the meeting to have a celebratory\u00a0anniversary dinner that included attendees representing each of the five instruments.<\/p>\n<p>Another mission to recently reach a longevity milestone is NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/ocov2.jpl.nasa.gov\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (<\/a>OCO-2), which celebrated 10 years in space last summer. OCO-2, which launched on July 2, 2014, from the Vandenburg Air Force (now Space Force) Base in California, was originally designed as a pathfinder mission to measure carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2<\/sub>) with the precision and accuracy needed to quantify where, when, and how the Earth inhales and exhales this important greenhouse gas seasonally.\u00a0OCO-2 was part of the international Afternoon Constellation, or \u201cA-Train,\u201d which also included Aqua, Aura, CloudSat, and CALIPSO, as well as international partner missions.<\/p>\n<p>Since its launch, OCO-2 data have revealed unprecedented insights into how the carbon cycle operates \u2013 from observing the impact and recovery of tropical land and ocean ecosystems during El Ni\u00f1o events to revealing the outsized impacts of extreme events, such as floods, droughts, and fires on ecosystem health and functioning. Researchers from around the world use OCO-2 data, opening new opportunities for understanding the response of the carbon cycle to human-driven perturbations, such as the impact of COVID lockdowns on atmospheric CO<sub>2<\/sub> and improved quantification of emissions from large power plants and cities.<\/p>\n<p>OCO-2 also maps vegetation fluorescence, which shows promise as a reliable early warning indicator of flash drought. During photosynthesis, plants \u201cleak\u201d unused photons, producing a faint glow known as solar-induced fluorescence (SIF). The stronger the fluorescence, the more CO<sub>2<\/sub> a plant is taking from the atmosphere to power its growth. Ancillary SIF measurements from OCO-2 will help scientists better predict flash droughts, and understand how these impact carbon emissions.<\/p>\n<p>Ten years into the mission, OCO-2 has become the gold standard for CO<sub>2<\/sub> measurements from space. The spacecraft and instrument continue to perform nominally, producing data leading to new scientific discoveries.<\/p>\n<p>OCO\u20133, built from spare parts during the build of OCO-2 and launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2019, also celebrated a milestone, marking five years in orbit on May 4, 2024. While the follow-on has the same instrument sensitivity and makes essentially the same measurements as OCO-2, the vantage point on the ISS as opposed to OCO-2\u2019s polar orbit and the use of a new pointing mirror assembly (PMA) results in significant day-to-day spatial and temporal sampling differences that allows CO<sub>2 <\/sub>tracking for diurnal variability. In addition, the flexible PMA system allows for a much more dynamic observation-mode schedule.<\/p>\n<p>Further out in space, about 1 million mi (~1.1 million km) from Earth, orbiting the \u201cL1\u201d Lagrange point between Earth and Sun, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nesdis.noaa.gov\/current-satellite-missions\/currently-flying\/dscovr-deep-space-climate-observatory\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Deep Space Climate Observatory<\/a>\u00a0(DSCOVR)\u00a0celebrated the 10<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary of its launch on February 11, 2025. The two NASA Earth observing instruments on DSCOVR are the <a href=\"https:\/\/epic.gsfc.nasa.gov\/about\/epic\" rel=\"noopener\">Earth Polychromatic Camera<\/a>\u00a0(EPIC) and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/epic.gsfc.nasa.gov\/about\/nistar\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Advanced Radiometer<\/a>\u00a0[NISTAR].<\/p>\n<p>The 10<sup>th<\/sup> DSCOVR EPIC NISTAR Science Team Meeting was held October 16\u201318, 2024 at Goddard Space Flight Center. Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore opened the meeting with remarks that focused on remote sensing and the future of Earth observations. Following Gore\u2019s remarks, DSCOVR mission leadership and representatives from GSFC and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) gave presentations on DSCOVR operations, EPIC calibration, and NISTAR Status and Science.<\/p>\n<p>The meeting provided an opportunity for participants to learn the status of DSCOVR\u2019s Earth-observing instruments, the status of recently released Level-2 (geophysical) data products, and the resulting science. As more people use DSCOVR data worldwide, the science team hopes to hear from users and team members at its next meeting. The latest updates from the mission can be found on the<a href=\"http:\/\/epic.gsfc.nasa.gov\/\"  rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u00a0EPIC website<\/a>.\u00a0For more details, see the <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/earth-science\/summary-of-the-10th-dscovr-epic-and-nistar-science-team-meeting\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Summary of the 10th DSCOVR EPIC and NISTAR Science Team Meeting<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Flying in the space between satellites and ground-based observations, NASA\u2019s Airborne Science Program operates a fleet of aircraft, unpiloted aerial vehicles, and even kites to study Earth and space science. Since 1987, a highly modified McDonnell Douglas DC-8 aircraft has been a mainstay of ASP\u2019s fleet \u00ad\u00ad\u2013 see <strong>Photo 1<\/strong>. The aircraft, located at NASA\u2019s Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) in California, flew countless missions as a science laboratory, producing science data for the national and global scientific communities. NASA decided to retire the venerable DC-8 aircraft, which made its last science flight in April 2024. The DC-8 is being replaced with a similarly refurbished Boeing 777 aircraft, which will be even more capable than the DC-8 and is located at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC).<\/p>\n<p>The NASA History Office and NASA Earth Science Division cohosted a workshop, titled \u201cContributions of the DC-8 to Earth System Science at NASA,\u201d on October 24\u201325, 2024 at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters (HQ) Building in Washington, DC \u2013 for more details on the DC-8 event, see the article <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/earth-science\/the-nasa-dc-8-retires-reflections-on-its-contributions-to-earth-system-science\/\" rel=\"noopener\">The NASA DC-8 Retires: Reflections on its Contributions to Earth System Science<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-dc-8\/DC8-photo1.jpg?w=1440&#038;h=960&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-dc-8\/DC8-photo1.jpg?w=1440&#038;h=960&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"DC8 Photo 1\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-dc-8\/DC8-photo1.jpg?w=1440&#038;h=960&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1440w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-dc-8\/DC8-photo1.jpg?w=300&#038;h=200&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-dc-8\/DC8-photo1.jpg?w=768&#038;h=512&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-dc-8\/DC8-photo1.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=683&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-dc-8\/DC8-photo1.jpg?w=400&#038;h=267&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-dc-8\/DC8-photo1.jpg?w=600&#038;h=400&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-dc-8\/DC8-photo1.jpg?w=900&#038;h=600&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-dc-8\/DC8-photo1.jpg?w=1200&#038;h=800&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\"><strong>Photo 1.<\/strong> NASA\u2019s DC-8 flying laboratory flew Earth science missions from 1987 to 2024. Expert maintenance allowed the aircraft to conduct research on six continents and study ice fields on the seventh, Antarctica.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong>Image Credit<\/strong>: Lori Losey\/NASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>There are also updates from three recent NASA field campaigns \u2013 where ground observations are timed and coordinated with aircraft flights (often at more than one altitude) and with satellite overpasses to gain a comprehensive (i.e., multilayered, multiscale) picture of the atmosphere over a certain area.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/earth.gsfc.nasa.gov\/climate\/campaigns\/WHyMSIE\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/earth.gsfc.nasa.gov\/climate\/campaigns\/WHyMSIE\" rel=\"noopener\">The Westcoast &#038; Heartland Hyperspectral Microwave Sensor Intensive Experiment<\/a> (WHyMSIE) campaign was held from October 17- November 18, 2024. Serving as a future NASA planetary boundary-layer (PBL) mission prototype, WHyMSIE aimed to capture a wide variety of thermodynamic, moisture, and PBL regimes across a variety of surface types. WHyMSIE was an initial step towards an integrated and affordable PBL observing system of systems, with multiple observing nodes \u2013 i.e., space, suborbital, and ground \u2013 from passive and active sensors to enable a comprehensive and coherent picture of essential PBL variables and hydrometeors that is not possible with any single sensor, observational approach, or scale. As a partnership between NASA and NOAA, this field campaign flew a first-of-its-kind hyperspectral microwave airborne measurements (CoSMIR-H) that was complemented by other passive (thermal emission, solar reflectance) and active (lidar, radar) sensors flying onboard the NASA ER-2 (AFRC) and G-III (LaRC), with coordination over a variety of ground-based sensor facilities.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/science.gsfc.nasa.gov\/earth\/projects\/658\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/science.gsfc.nasa.gov\/earth\/projects\/658\" rel=\"noopener\">The GSFC Lidar Observation and Validation Experiment<\/a> (GLOVE) was conducted in February 2025 at Edwards Air Force Base, California \u2013 see <strong>photo 2<\/strong>. GLOVE flew the Cloud Physics Lidar (CPL), Roscoe lidar, enhanced MODIS Airborne Simulator (eMAS) imaging scanner, and Cloud Radar System (CRS)\u00a0on the ER-2 to validate NASA ICESat-2 atmospheric data products and validate ESA\u2019s recently launched EarthCARE lidar, radar, and spectrometer products.<\/p>\n<p>NASA\u2019s Earth Science Division<a href=\"https:\/\/cce.nasa.gov\/firesense\/index.html\" rel=\"noopener\"> FireSense project<\/a> focuses on delivering\u00a0NASA\u2019s unique Earth science and technological capabilities\u00a0to operational agencies, striving to\u00a0address challenges\u00a0in US wildland fire management. Together with agency, academic, and private partners, FireSense completed an airborne campaign in a wildfire smoke-impacted airshed in Missoula, MT on August 27\u201329, 2024. During the three-day campaign, a NASA Uninhabited Aerial System (UAS) team conducted eight data-collection flights, partnering these launches with weather balloon launches.<\/p>\n<p>FireSense uses airborne campaigns to evaluate capabilities and technologies to support decision making in wildland fire management and air quality forecasting. Targeted data collection produces better forecasts and more successful technology transfer to wildland fire operations. In the future, the FireSense Program will coordinate two airborne campaigns for spring 2025 at Geneva State Forest, Alabama and Kennedy Space Center located within Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Florida. Both 2025 campaigns will incorporate data collection before, during, and after prescribed fire operations. Beyond NASA, the campaign works in close partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, National Weather Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of Defense, as well as partners in academia and the private sector. For more information on FireSense\u2019s most recent campaign in Montana see the <em>Editor\u2019s Corner <\/em>supplemental summary of \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/earth-science\/the-firesense-project\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/earth-science\/the-firesense-project\/\" rel=\"noopener\">The FireSense Project<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\">\n<div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\">\n<div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\">\n<figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-fit \"><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-editors-corner\/EC-Winter-photo2.jpg?w=1440&#038;h=820&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"820\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-editors-corner\/EC-Winter-photo2.jpg?w=1440&#038;h=820&#038;%23038;fit=clip&#038;%23038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Editor's Corner Winter Photo 2\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-editors-corner\/EC-Winter-photo2.jpg?w=1440&#038;h=820&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1440w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-editors-corner\/EC-Winter-photo2.jpg?w=300&#038;h=171&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 300w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-editors-corner\/EC-Winter-photo2.jpg?w=768&#038;h=437&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 768w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-editors-corner\/EC-Winter-photo2.jpg?w=1024&#038;h=583&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1024w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-editors-corner\/EC-Winter-photo2.jpg?w=400&#038;h=228&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 400w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-editors-corner\/EC-Winter-photo2.jpg?w=600&#038;h=342&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 600w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-editors-corner\/EC-Winter-photo2.jpg?w=900&#038;h=513&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 900w, https:\/\/assets.science.nasa.gov\/dynamicimage\/assets\/science\/esd\/earth-observer\/2025\/2025-winter\/2025-editors-corner\/EC-Winter-photo2.jpg?w=1200&#038;h=683&#038;fit=crop&#038;crop=faces%2Cfocalpoint 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\">\n<div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\"><strong>Photo 2. <\/strong>NASA personnel stand in front of theNASA ER-2 at Edwards Air Force Base, California, during the GSFC Lidar Observation and Validation Experiment (GLOVE) in February 2025.<\/div>\n<div class=\"hds-credits\"><strong>Image credit<\/strong>: John Yorks\/NASA<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Congratulations to <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/people\/jack-kaye\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Jack Kaye<\/a>, Associate Director for research with the Earth Science Division within NASA\u2019s Science Mission Directorate, who has received the William T. Pecora Award for his vision and creative leadership in multidisciplinary Earth science research, as well as spurring advancements in the investigator community, supporting development of sensors, and shaping NASA satellite and aircraft missions and research programs at the highest levels.\u00a0To read more about this accomplishment, see \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/earth-science\/kaye-honored-with-pecora-award\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/earth-science\/kaye-honored-with-pecora-award\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Kaye Honored with Pecora Award.<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On the outreach front, AGU returned to Washington, DC, for its annual meeting from December 9\u201314, 2024. NASA continued to uphold its long-standing tradition as an AGU partner and exhibitor, leveraging the meeting as an opportunity to share the agency\u2019s cutting-edge research, data, and technology with the largest collection of Earth and planetary science professionals in the world. Many of the estimated 25,000 students, scientists, and industry personnel who attended the conference visited the NASA Science exhibit, interacting with NASA subject matter experts and listening to Hyperwall presentations throughout the week.<\/p>\n<p>As the final event in a busy calendar of annual scientific conferences, AGU is often an opportunity for NASA scientists to publish findings from the previous year and set goals for the year ahead. The agency\u2019s robust portfolio of missions and programs will continue to set new records, such as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/heliophysics\/nasas-parker-solar-probe-makes-history-with-closest-pass-to-sun\/\" rel=\"noopener\">NASA\u2019s Parker Solar Probe pass of the Sun<\/a>, and conduct fundamental research in Earth and space science. To read more about AGU 2024, see the article: <a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/earth-science\/agu-2024-nasa-science-on-display-in-the-nations-capital\/\" rel=\"noopener\">AGU 2024: NASA Science on Display in the Nation\u2019s Capital.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Ending on a somber note, we recently posted three notable obituaries. Each of these individuals made significant contributions to EOS history, which are highlighted in the <em>In Memoriam<\/em> articles linked below.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/earth-science\/in-memoriam-jeff-dozier-1944-2024\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Jeff Dozier<\/a>, an environmental scientist, snow hydrologist, researcher, academic, and former EOS Project Scientist, died on November 17, 2024. Jeff embraced remote sensing with satellites to measure snow properties and energy balance. As a Project Scientist with the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS), he contributed to the design and management of very large information systems that would impact spatial modeling and environmental informatics.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/earth-science\/in-memoriam-berrien-moore-iii-1941-2024\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Berrien Moore<\/a>, Dean of the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences at the University of Oklahoma (OU), died on December 17, 2024.\u00a0Berrien served in several roles with NASA, including as a committee member and later chair of the organization\u2019s Space and Earth Science Advisory Committee, Chair of the Earth Observing System Payload Advisory Committee, member and Chair of NASA\u2019s Earth Science and Applications Committee, and member of the NASA Advisory Council. Berrien received NASA\u2019s highest civilian honor, the Distinguished Public Service Medal, for outstanding service and the NOAA Administrator\u2019s Recognition Award.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/science-research\/earth-science\/in-memoriam-pierre-morel-1933-2024\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Pierre Morel<\/a>, the first director of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) and founding member of WCRP\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gewex.org\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Global Energy and Water Exchanges<\/a>\u00a0(GEWEX) Core project, died on December 10, 2024. Pierre\u2019s work played an integral role in the development of tools used to study the atmosphere, many of which are still active today.\u00a0Pierre was the recipient of the 2008 Alfred Wegener Medal &#038; Honorary Membership for his outstanding contributions to geophysical fluid dynamics, his leadership in the development of climate research, and the applications of space observation to meteorology and the Earth system science.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Steve Platnick<br \/>EOS Senior Project Scientist<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 nasa_template_article_a hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-credits-and-details\">\n<section class=\"padding-x-0 padding-top-5 padding-bottom-2 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-2 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<div 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\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black\">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Details<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-row margin-bottom-3\">\n<div class=\"grid-col-4\">\n<div class=\"subheading\">Last Updated<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-8\">Mar 20, 2025<\/div>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-5 padding-right-4 margin-bottom-5 desktop:margin-bottom-0\">\n<div class=\"padding-top-3 border-top-1px border-color-carbon-black \">\n<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n<h2 class=\"heading-14\">Related Terms<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<ul class=\"article-tags\">\n<li class=\"article-tag\"><a href=\"https:\/\/science.nasa.gov\/earth\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Earth Science<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NASA\u2019s 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 [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":1,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15600],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-188730","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-earth-science"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188730","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=188730"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188730\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":189129,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/188730\/revisions\/189129"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=188730"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=188730"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=188730"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}