Towards a U.S. Framework for Continuity of Satellite Observations of Earth’s Climate and for Supporting Societal Resilience

There is growing urgency for improved public and commercial services to support a resilient, secure, and thriving United States in the face of mounting decision-support needs for environmental stewardship and hazard response, as well as for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Space-based Earth observations are critical infrastructure to support the delivery of science and decision-support information with local, national, and global utility. The growing demands for information are occurring in concert with lower barriers for developing and sustaining such services via more feasible access to space and recent improvements in technology and infrastructure that can support the sustained production and dissemination of the needed environmental, climate and related security information. Currently in the U.S., NASA and NOAA focus their Earth observation efforts, for the most part, on Earth Science research objectives, and weather-related observations, respectively, while USGS focuses on sustained land imaging. However, for sustained satellite observations outside these areas, the US currently does not have an overarching, systematic plan or framework to identify, prioritize, fund, and implement sustained Earth observations that are vital to meeting our nation’s full range of science, policy, and societal support. To aid and accelerate the discussion on our nation’s needs, challenges and opportunities associated with sustained critical space-based Earth observations, the Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) sponsored a multi-week think-tank study to offer ways forward on this topic of “continuity” for satellite observations. The KISS study team was composed of 32 scientists, technologists and engineers representing multiple Earth mission-focused agencies, institutes, and university departments. Based on this study, the KISS study team suggests the establishment of a nimble and responsive coordination framework to help guide and shepherd U.S. concerns regarding sustained Earth observations. This coordination framework should account for: 1) approaches to identify and prioritize satellite observations needed to meet U.S. needs for science and services, 2) the rapidly evolving landscape of space-based Earth viewing architecture options and technology improvements with increasing opportunities and lower cost access to space and 3) the technical and programmatic underpinnings required for proper and comprehensive data stewardship with a broad science and services user base in mind.