The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was created in 1958. The agency’s initial purpose was to develop aerospace technologies that would help the U.S. compete with the Soviet Union in the Space Race. However, NASA’s programs soon expanded into other areas. As the agency’s programs evolved in the latter half of the twentieth century, NASA became more involved in Earth Sciences. In 1984 Congress revised the Space Act to be more inclusive of research on Earth’s climate. Today NASA satellites play an important role in collecting data that scientist use to study climate change. A brief article on NASA’s website explores the agency’s initial expansion into Earth Sciences and its growing role in providing the technological means to document changes in the Earth's climate. Click here to read the article.
Climate History Network