NASA's Earth Observing System Program, the world's most advanced and comprehensive capability to measure global climate change, will receive the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Space Systems Award.
The annual award is presented in recognition of "outstanding achievements in the architecture, analysis, design and implementation of space systems." Earth Observing System (EOS) Senior Project Scientist Michael King will accept the award on behalf of the EOS Program Team on Sept. 20 at the Institute's annual Space Conference and Exhibit in San Jose, Calif.
"As the first global environmental monitoring system, EOS is being used by citizens, governments, applications communities, and scientists worldwide. The long and challenging development of this space-based observing system and the implementation of an open scientific data policy was the work of a large number of individuals," said King, an atmospheric scientist at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
NASA has studied the Earth and its changing environment since the agency was formed in 1958. In 1991, NASA launched a more comprehensive program to study the Earth as an integrated system. EOS is comprised of a series of Earth-observing satellites, an advanced data system, and teams of scientists who study the data.
Terra, the first dedicated EOS satellite, was launched in December 1999. NASA recently completed deployment of the first series of EOS satellites. Over the coming decade NASA will work with its research partners analyzing EOS data to characterize, understand, and predict variability and trends in Earth's system. NASA pioneers new global environmental observations and research and works with other federal agencies to improve the operational services they provide to the nation, including weather forecasting, climate prediction, natural hazard assessment, and environmental management.
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics is the world's largest professional society devoted to the progress of engineering and science in aviation, space and defense. The Institute's Space Systems Award has been given to several NASA programs in recent years, including the New Millennium Deep Space One Team (2002), the NASA-Industry-Partners International Space Station Team (2001), the Chandra X-Ray Observatory Team (2000), and the Landsat Project Government Industry Team (1999).
For more information about NASA and EOS programs, visit on the Web: