• Wisconsin Wildlife Says Cheese: Space-based technology and citizen scientists are helping Wisconsin develop a clearer picture of its diverse fauna
    Wisconsin Wildlife Says Cheese: Space-based technology and citizen scientists are helping Wisconsin develop a clearer picture of its diverse fauna
  • Houston, We Have a Penguin: At the bottom of the world, Landsat and MODIS sea-ice data are guiding both American commerce and penguin conservation
    NASA satellites are guiding commerce and conservation
  • Taking the Bite out of Mosquitoes: Spaceborne environmental observations and ecological forecasts are helping public health agencies stay one step ahead of mosquito-borne diseases.
    2016 annual report image- step ahead of dangerous mosquito-borne diseases
  • Blazing Fast Relief: A NASA-supported tool that taps into NASA’s Terra, Suomi NPP, and Landsat data is accelerating post-wildfire response in the U.S.
    Landsat data is accelerating post-wildfire response in the U.S.
  • Biomass and the Beast: Free and open space-based rainforest data from Terra and Aqua are giving Africa’s great apes more space.
    2016 annual report image- Biomass and the Beast
  • Getting Out from Underwater: Earth observations from multiple satellites guided efforts in 2016 to assist communities swamped by a year of historic floods in the U.S.
    2016 annual report image- Getting out from under water
  • Seeing Stress from Space: The U.S. is predicting droughts sooner thanks to a project that enabled the use of Aqua and Terra satellite data to detect the early stages of crop stress
    2016 annual report image- detecting the early stages of crop stress
  • A Breath of Fresh Air: The U.S. EPA incorporated Aura satellite data of North American background ozone levels for its updated National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
    A Breath of Fresh Air: The U.S. EPA incorporated Aura satellite data of North American background ozone levels for its updated National Ambient Air Quality Standards.
  • NASA, We Need Your Help: The Carter Center targeted its river blindness eradication efforts in the Americas by using Landsat and Terra satellite data to find previously unknown populations at risk.
    The Carter Center targeted its river blindness eradication efforts in the Americas by using Landsat and Terra satellite data to find previously unknown populations at risk.
  • Taming the Inferno: A pioneering wildfire mapping system called RECOVER integrates Suomi NPP satellite data to expedite wildfire rehabilitation, reducing response time from days to minutes.
    Taming the Inferno: A pioneering wildfire mapping system called RECOVER integrates Suomi NPP satellite data to expedite wildfire rehabilitation, reducing response time from days to minutes.
  • When the Earth Shook: A volunteer network composed of nine nations utilized NASA satellite data to map thousands of landslides caused by a series of devastating earthquakes in Nepal.
    A volunteer network composed of nine nations utilized NASA satellite data to map thousands of landslides caused by a series of devastating earthquakes in Nepal.
  • Bidding for the Benefit of Birds: The Nature Conservancy of California employs Aqua satellite data to determine which rice fields to rent as temporary waterfowl habitat along the Pacific Flyway.
    The Nature Conservancy of California employs Aqua satellite data to determine which rice fields to rent as temporary waterfowl habitat along the Pacific Flyway

Click here to view the Schedule of Applied Sciences Program events at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in December 10th-14th, 2017.

Click here to view the Applied Sciences Program 2016 digital annual report

Click here to view the Applied Sciences Program 2015 annual report

  • About Applied Sciences
    About Applied Sciences
  • Earth Right Now

    In 2014-15 NASA launched five new Earth-observing satellites and instruments. Together, these missions serve on-going applications and introduce novel ones to inform decisions and benefit society. Learn more at https://www.nasa.gov/content/earth-right-now/

  • Earth As Art
    Earth As Art

    The NASA Earth As Art collection features stunningly-beautiful images of the Earth from five U.S. Earth-observing satellites. Available online and as an app on the iPad – information at: https://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/earth_art_detail.html

  • The Release of "Sanctuary" at World Parks Congress
    The book "Sanctuary" released at World Parks Congress

    The book, "Sanctuary: Exploring the World’s Protected Areas from Space" was released at the 2014 World Parks Congress, see the NASA web feature here . Also, the book can be downloaded at https://strategies.org/iges-news/sanctuary/.

  • Socioeconomic Impacts
    Socioeconomic Impacts Primer
  • Satellite-based Forecasting System Improves Flood Predictions in Bangladesh
    Satellite-based Forecasting System Improves Flood Predictions in Bangladesh
  • Collaboration - State Level
    Collaboration at the State Level
  • Collaboration - Federal Level
    Collaboration at the Federal Level
  • Earth Observations Serving Society
    Intergovernmental Work: Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS)

    In addition to their work with the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO), Applied Sciences Program team members participate actively in the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS). The committee ensures international coordination of civil space-based Earth observation programs and promotes exchange of data to optimize societal benefit and inform decision making for securing a prosperous and sustainable future for humankind. Source: CEOS

  • An Automated Frost Mapping System Helps Manage Crop Damage
    Automated Frost Mapping System helping Kenyan farmers manage frost risk
  • Applied Sciences Application Areas
  • The Capacity Building Program
    The Capacity Building Program
  • Lines of Business
    Lines of Business
  • Global Initiatives
    Global Initiatives
  • Developing Solutions
    Developing Solutions
  • Promoting Application Projects
    Promoting Application Projects
  • Participating in Conferences
    Participating in Conferences
  • Attending and Sponsoring Workshops
  • Providing Socioeconomic Impact
    2010 Icelandic Volcano Eruption Response
  • Annual Performance Goals
    Application Readiness Levels

    We use an Applications Readiness Level (ARL) metric to track the maturity of individual projects and to measure our overall performance.  Since the introduction of ARLs in 2012, we have exceeded our goal to advance 25 percent of our applications projects by one ARL. We’re on track to meet this goal again in 2015.

  • Growth Of The DEVELOP Program
    Growth Of The DEVELOP Program
  • Project Portfolio Balance
    Project Portfolio Balance

    We use an Applications Readiness Level (ARL) metric to assess the balance of our project portfolio as projects mature and we begin new projects. ARLs 1–3 are proof-of-concept stages, ARLs 4–6 development stages, and ARLs 7–9 deployment stages.

  • 2013 Geospatial World Policy Award
    2013 Geospatial World Policy Award
  • Award Winning Book & App
    "Earth as Art" wins 2103 Communicator Award
  • Award for Program Communications
    Hermes Gold Creative Award for 2104 The Program Annual Report

  • Products & Services

    NASA’s fleet of satellites provide freely-available information about Earth’s land, water, and environment.

  • Value & Benefits

    Innovative applications inform wise decision-making and help people prepare for the future.

  • Work With Us

    Want to begin or increase your use of NASA Earth observations? Let’s talk.

The results of these analyses will be used immediately to inform decisions about land protection and reforestation to benefit communities… We could not have completed these analyses without access to NASA’s resources and Earth observations.
Sarah Gottlieb
The Nature Conservancy, DEVELOP Project Partner
Collecting physical data is laborious, time consuming, and costly, and it can be applied at only a limited scale. Also, that data is subject to a number of uncertainties. In contrast, GRACE-based data is readily available, free, can be applied at a large scale such as the Indus basin, and is reliable. Moreover, there are no data sharing issues as compared to traditional datasets.
Dr. Ashraf Muhammad, Chairman
Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources
The World Food Program (WFP) is using our analyses to understand the drought onset [in western Nepal] and severity patterns across the region. They are using these SERVIR products as evidence-based communication to inform the highest level governmental decision makers in Nepal on the issue.
Faisal Qamar, Remote Sensing Specialist
ICIMOD
I’m always impressed what a great project [SERVIR] is; learning and adapting has been great; in 20 years, you can say where this all began; you're on the right track...
Charles North, E3 Bureau Director
USAID
It is great to see how satellite information can be applied to better design and implement projects in territories that are difficult to access.
Rogerio Miranda
InterAmerican Development Bank
We had some serious wildfires in September 2014, and the VIIRS 375-meter data performed excellently.
Philip Frost
Meraka Institute
The high-resolution data gleaned from VIIRS are available in a short time period and significantly enhance the Forest Service's current strategic fire detection and monitoring capabilities.
Brad Quayle
U.S. Forest Service
This is the best tool I have seen so far that integrates satellite data with information from ground monitors."
Cassie McMohan
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
“The satellite imagery is a very important tool to identify areas of interest and make sure that we go out there and we can respond to these public health threats—especially at a point when budgets are shrinking and we have to do more with less.”
Andrew Reich
Florida Department of Health
Our current strategy for the 2013 planting season is completely derived from the DEVELOP maps, which give our groups a clearer understanding of the goals for reforesting the Central Wetlands.
Blaise Pezold
Wetland Tree Foundation
DEVELOP was a life-changing experience for me. The internship gave me the skills to begin my geospatial career and has strengthened my curiosity to learn more about the Earth.
Melissa Oguamanam
DEVELOP participant
If this technology saves even one island from levee failure, then it’s been very worth the time and energy.
Joel Dudas
California Department of Water Resources
I've been very impressed with the Coast Guard’s commitment to bring NASA satellite data and model forecasts into their decision-making process in order to improve their search and rescue operations.
Yi Chao
Project Investigator
[This application is an] extraordinarily powerful technique that we will continue to use and incorporate.
Arthur Allen
U.S. Coast Guard, Office of Search and Rescue
Some people find working with satellite and environmental data a big morass of intractability. PHAM gives them the ability to take these satellite products and use them in their statistical analysis.
Michael Hinton
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission
We are using data provided by [the project team] to better determine how waterfowl populations in the North American prairies will respond to system change.
Kathy Fleming
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
The California Current Integrated Ecosystem Assessment is excited about the results of the NASA project.
Brian Wells
NOAA
The project directly addresses some of the highest priority Council stock assessment and management needs, and could greatly assist the fishing industry in long-term planning.
Donald McIsaac
Pacific Fishery Management Council
We needed the NASA data to make this happen and are very thankful to have this quality input. This model shows finer-scale temperature fluctuations that were not possible to model before.
Eric Danner
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
NASA data has been critical to monitoring the environment. … It’s a core metric for how we are doing our work.
John Musinsky
Conservation International (formerly)
Remote sensing data has become a core part of the planning and evaluation process for organizations like ours…
John Musinsky
Conservation International (formerly)
Satellite-derived data provides an overview of ocean conditions that are not available from traditional shipboard measurements.
John Lamkin
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
This capability greatly expands our understanding of larval Bluefin ecology, and has allowed us to target specific areas resulting in the development of an improved larval index.
John Lamkin
NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service
The new data products provide observations closer to the scale of coral reefs. Managers want to know as much as we can tell them to help their management of reef resources.
Mark Eakin
Coral Reef Watch
The novel use of satellite-based gravity data in combination with advanced modeling techniques has given us a unique perspective on groundwater that was not resolvable through just ground-based observations.
Brian Wardlow
National Drought Mitigation Center

The innovative solutions delivered via the applied sciences program are made in collaboration and partnership with

Disclaimer*
* Any mention of a commercial product, service, or activity in this material does not constitute NASA endorsement. This material provides links to websites created and maintained by other public and/or private organizations. The presence of a link in this material is not a NASA endorsement of the site.
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