NASA is an exploration agency, and one of our missions is to know our home. We develop novel tools and techniques for understanding how our planet works -- for the benefit of humanity and for insights we need to explore other moons and planets. NASA's Earth Science Division operates more than 20 satellites in orbit, sponsors hundreds of research programs and studies, and funds opportunities to put data to use for societal needs. We develop new ways to observe the oceans, land cover, ice, atmosphere, and life, and we measure how changes in one drive changes in others over the short and long term. While listening to and collaborating with industry leaders, international partners, academic institutions, and other users of our data, we drive innovations and deliver science to help inform decisions that benefit the nation and the world.
Rare, Widespread Snow in the Atacama Desert
4 min read
Back-to-back winter storms in August 2026 brought snowfall to northern Chile, from the Andes to near the Pacific coast.
Aug 27, 2026
A Changing World for Emperor Penguins
7 min read
Experts are analyzing decades of images from Landsat satellites for clues about how the iconic birds have responded to sea…
Aug 26, 2026
Michigan’s Les Cheneaux Islands
3 min read
These glacial landforms jut into northern Lake Huron, surrounded by sheltered channels and coves frequented by fish and small watercraft.
Aug 25, 2026
Featured Video
How NASA Uses Light to Detect Waste From Mines
Tens of thousands of abandoned mines threaten waterways across the American West, but identifying which sites urgently need cleanup is slow and expensive. Now, NASA’s EMIT instrument can analyze the unique light signatures of mine waste from space to help focus remediation efforts where they're needed most.
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Recent Videos & Visualizations
SWOT Mission Unlocks a New View of Our Waterways
Using data from the SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) mission, jointly developed by the NASA/JPL and the Centre National d'Études Spatiales with contributions from the Canadian Space Agency and the United Kingdom Space Agency, scientists can now measure rivers continuously and across the entire globe for the first time in human history.
From the Mississippi River to the Amazon, these observations reveal how rivers flow, how they change over time, and how they support ecosystems, economies, and communities worldwide like never before.
NASA’s Hurricane Science, Tech, Data Help American Communities
NASA's cutting-edge research, technology, and tools bolster the nation’s readiness and response to severe weather.
Read ArticleEarth Information Center
For more than 50 years, NASA satellites have provided data on Earth's land, water, air, temperature, and climate. NASA's Earth Information Center allows visitors to see how our planet is changing in six key areas: sea level rise and coastal impacts, health and air quality, wildfires, greenhouse gases, sustainable energy, and agriculture.
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