The Echoes of Earth Science

About this technology

Overview

NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) acquires, archives, and manages data from all of NASA's Earth science satellites, for the benefit of the Space Agency and for the benefit of others, including local governments, first responders, the commercial remote sensing industry, teachers, museums, and the general public. In streamlining the public access path to Earth science data and materials culled by EOSDIS, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center joined ranks with Global Science & Technology, Inc., a science, engineering, and information technology company serving Federal and corporate clients, and Blueprint Technologies, Inc., formerly a woman-owned, small business specialist in providing architecture-based solutions that was recently acquired by Pearson Government Solutions, Inc. (The company is now recognized as Pearson Blueprint Technologies, Inc.) Goddard worked with Global Science & Technology (the prime contractor on the project) and Blueprint Technologies (the subcontractor) to develop the Earth Observing System ClearingHOuse, or ECHO, registry platform. Today, this Earth science solution developed in part by NASA and for NASA is fully live and operational as ECHO version 8.0. The public registry is officially a Web-based brokering system that enables information and resource sharing that ultimately leads to improvements in research and analysis, as well as copious societal benefits. For example, local governments can use ECHO 8.0 to make key decisions about adverse weather conditions facing their regions, such as floods and hurricanes. Having access to the latest satellite imagery via ECHO can give them a leg up in taking any precautions they can to become fully prepared.