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From the vantage point above Earth, NASA view our Sun and Earth as a whole system, observe the results of complex interactions, and begin to understand how our star and planet are changing. Working with its domestic and international partners, NASA provides accurate and objective scientific data and analysis to advance our understanding of Earth–Sun system processes and their response to natural or human-induced changes. Learning more about these processes will enable improved prediction capability for climate, weather, and natural hazards.

NASA’s Earth system science data component of the Earth–Sun System Division provides more than 2,400 data products and associated services for interdisciplinary studies. The Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) manages and distributes these products through the Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs). These data centers process, archive, document, and distribute data from NASA’s past and current Earth system science research satellites and field programs. Each center serves one or more specific Earth science disciplines and provides its user community with data products, data information, services, and tools unique to its particular science. Presently, EOSDIS supports the daily production of over 2 terabytes (TB) of interdisciplinary Earth system science data. These data are either from EOS missions (e.g., ACRIMSAT, Aqua, Aura, ICESat, Jason, QuikSCAT, SORCE, Terra), pre-EOS missions (e.g., SeaWiFS, TOMS-EP, TOPEX/POSEIDON, TRMM, UARS), other Earth system science data (e.g., Pathfinder data sets), NASA funded field campaigns (e.g., BOREAS, FIFE, SAFARI), and human dimensions derived data (e.g., China Dimensions Data Collection, GRUMP). An excess of 4 petabytes (PB) of data products that cover a wide range of physical, geophysical, biochemical, and other parameters are archived at the nine EOSDIS data centers.

In 2004 alone, over 34 million Earth system science data products, 640 TB (~1.8 TB daily) of data and information about NASA missions, instruments, and data products, was disseminated to over 2 million distinct users within the science, government, industry, education, and policy maker communities. These data are collected by approximately 65 instruments onboard more than 40 satellite and aircraft platforms.