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Fact Sheets

NASA's Earth Observing System provides a variety of materials available for download. Feel free to choose a category below:

NASA's Operating and Future Earth Science Satellite Missions
PDF icon NASA_Earth Observing Missions LITHO_508.pdf

NASA's operating and future Earth science satellite missions as of May 2018.

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The Balance of Power in the Earth-Sun System
PDF icon NASA-Facts-EnergyBalance.pdf

The Sun is the major source of energy for Earth’s oceans, atmosphere, land, and biosphere. Averaged over an entire year, approximately 342 watts of solar energy fall upon every square meter of Earth.

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The Importance of Understanding Cloud
PDF icon NASA-Facts-UnderstandingClouds.pdf

One of the most interesting features of Earth, as seen from space, is the ever-changing distribution of clouds. They are as natural as anything we encounter in our daily lives. As they float above us, we hardly give their presence a second thought. And yet, clouds have an enormous influence on Earth’s energy balance, climate, and weather.

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A-Train Fact Sheet
PDF icon A-Train_Fact_Sheet.pdf

Over the next five years, NASA’s ESE plans to launch four satellite missions that will fly in formation with each other and with the Aqua satellite, which has been in orbit since May 2002. Each individual mission has its own objectives and will improve our understanding of aspects of the Earth’s climate. The real advantage of formation flying, however is that the data from the various satellites are synergistic.

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Aerosols: More than Meets the Eye
PDF icon NASA-Facts-Aerosols.pdf

You can’t really see individual aerosol particles with your eyes—but you can see the impact they have all around you. Aerosols are extremely important to life on Earth. Every time you see a cloud form, you are seeing aerosols at work. Without them, cloud formation would be next to impossible in Earth’s atmosphere.

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The Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE)
PDF icon GRACE_Fact_Sh_Final.pdf

To learn more about the mysteries of gravity, twin satellites named GRACE—short for the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment—were launched to make detailed measurements of Earth’s gravity field. This experiment could lead to discoveries about gravity and Earth’s natural systems, which could have far-reaching benefits to society and the world’s population.

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