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NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) is a key core capability in the Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) Program. It provides end-to-end capabilities for managing NASA Earth science data from various sources—satellites, aircraft, field measurements, and various other programs. For the EOS satellite missions, EOSDIS provides capabilities for command and control, scheduling, data capture and initial (level 0) processing. These capabilities, constituting the EOSDIS Mission Operations, are managed by NASA's Earth Science Mission Operations (ESMO) Project. NASA network capabilities transport the data to the science operations facilities.

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Diagram of Earth Science Data Operations

The remaining capabilities of EOSDIS constitute the EOSDIS Science Operations, which are managed by NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project. These capabilities include: generation of higher level (levels 1-4) science data products for EOS missions; archiving and distribution of data products from EOS and other satellite missions, as well as aircraft and field measurement campaigns. The EOSDIS science operations are performed within a distributed system of many interconnected nodes and centers, including Science Investigator-led Processing Systems (SIPS) and distributed, discipline-specific, Earth science Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) with specific responsibilities for production, archiving, and distribution of Earth science data products. The DAACs serve a large and diverse user community (as indicated by EOSDIS performance metrics) by providing capabilities to search and access science data products and specialized services.

EOSDIS Elements

The following elements are managed by NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project. The requirements for networks are also managed by ESDIS while the networks themselves are a combination of NASA, national, and international infrastructure. 

NASA's Earth Observation System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) elements include the following:

  • Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs)
  • Science Data Processing Segment (SDPS)
  • Science Investigator-led Processing Systems (SIPS)
  • Common Metadata Repository (CMR)
  • Earth Observing System (EOS) Networks
  • ESDIS Metrics System (EMS)
  • Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS)
  • Land, Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for Earth Observations (LANCE)
  • Earthdata Login
  • Web Infrastructure
  • International Directory Network (IDN)
  • Configuration Management
  • EOSDIS Tool Information

Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs)

NASA's Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) are custodians of EOS mission data and ensure that data will be easily accessible to users. Acting in concert, the DAACs provide reliable, robust services to users whose needs may cross the traditional boundaries of specific science disciplines, while continuing to support the particular needs of users within the discipline communities. DAAC holdings can be searched from Earthdata Search, which is powered by NASA's Common Metadata Repository (CMR).

EOSDIS is designed as a distributed system, with major facilities at DAACs located throughout the United States. In general, these DAACs exist within other NASA or agencies' institutions and were chosen because they each specialize in a science discipline such as atmosphere, calibrated radiance and solar radiance, cryosphere, human dimensions, land, or ocean.

The DAACs include:

  • Atmospheric Science Data Center (ASDC), at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA
  • Alaska Satellite Facility DAAC (ASF DAAC), at ASF in Fairbanks, AK
  • Crustal Dynamics Distribution Information System (CDDIS), at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD
  • Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC), at NASA Goddard
  • Level 1 and Atmosphere Archive and Distribution System DAAC (LAADS DAAC), at NASA Goddard
  • Ocean Biology DAAC (OB.DAAC), at NASA Goddard
  • Global Hydrometeorology Resource Center (GHRC DAAC), at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL
  • Land Processes DAAC (LP DAAC), at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center in Sioux Falls, SD
  • National Snow and Ice Data Center DAAC (NSIDC DAAC), at NSIDC in Boulder, CO
  • Oak Ridge National Laboratory DAAC (ORNL DAAC), at ORNL in Oak Ridge, TN
  • Physical Oceanography DAAC (PO.DAAC), at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, CA
  • Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC), at Columbia University's Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) in Palisades, NY

The DAACs serve a broad and growing user community with both Earth Observation System (EOS) data and non-EOS data, working with active user communities that provide advice on priorities for scientific data, levels of service, and needed capabilities.

Science Data Processing Segment (SDPS)

The Science Data Processing Segment (SDPS) performs information management and data archiving and distribution at each DAAC location. Each DAAC performs these functions using a combination of standard capabilities provided by ESDIS and hardware and software specific to the DAAC. Special SDPS hardware and software, known as the EOSDIS Core System (ECS), was developed to support the high ingest rates of EOS instruments. ECS currently resides and operates at three DAACs: ASDC, LP DAAC and NSIDC DAAC. Data products are processed by NASA's Science Investigator-led Processing Systems (SIPS) or, in a few cases, by systems interfacing with the SDPS at the DAACs. The SDPS at the DAACs ingests the data from the processing systems and archives them. The SDPS has interfaces with CMR to provide search and access through CMR clients, for example, Earthdata Search. The SDPS also provides software toolkits to assist instrument teams in their development of product generation software at their Science Computing Facilities (SCFs) to facilitate ingest of the resulting products into SDPS or into DAAC-specific archiving and distribution systems.

Science Investigator-led Processing Systems (SIPS)

Most of the EOS standard products are produced at facilities under the direct control of the instrument principal investigators/team leaders (PIs/TLs) or their designees. These facilities are referred to as Science Investigator-led Processing Systems (SIPS). The SIPS are geographically distributed across the United States and are generally, but not necessarily, collocated with the PIs/TLs’ SCFs. Products produced at the SIPS using investigator-provided systems and software are sent to appropriate DAACs for archival and distribution. Level 0 Data Products and ancillary data that begin the processing sequence are stored at the DAACs and retrieved by the SIPS.

The SIPS include:

Common Metadata Repository (CMR)

CMR is a high-performance, high-quality metadata engine for next-generation EOSDIS applications that will be used to manage the evolution of NASA Earth Science metadata in a unified and consistent way by providing a central storage and access capability that streamlines current workflows while increasing overall data quality and anticipating future capabilities.

Earth Observing System (EOS) Networks

Effective access to EOSDIS depends on the end-to-end network connectivity between users and geographically-distributed DAACs. This connectivity is provided by an EOSDIS internal logical network known as the EOS Mission Support network (EMSn) and an external logical network known as the EOS Science Support network (ESSn). These two logical networks consist of a variety of physical networks including wide area and local area networks.

The EMSn (also known as open and closed EBNet) is made up of local-area and wide-area communication circuits and facilities between and among various EOS ground system elements to support EOS mission operations and mission-critical data transfers. The open side of EBnet allows appropriate science data to be transmitted via the Internet to various end users. The closed side of EBnet is protected by firewalls and transports mission-critical data to various EOSDIS subsystems and ground stations via a secure network.

The ESSn is a globally connected logical or virtual science data communication network consisting of several segments of shared IP-based internal and external physical networks (such as the NASA Integrated Services Network (NISN) and the Internet2 IP backbone) to serve the diverse needs of NASA's worldwide science and research community.

ESDIS Metrics System (EMS)

EMS collects information from all ingest, archive and distribution interfaces throughout EOSDIS. In addition to data system metrics, EMS has a suite of web analytics tools available to characterize usage and usability of websites.

Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS)

GIBS provides full resolution visual representations of NASA Earth science data in a free, open, and interoperable manner. Through responsive and highly available web services, it enables interactive exploration of data to support a wide range of applications including scientific research, applied sciences, natural hazard monitoring, and outreach. GIBS provides much of the LANCE near real-time (within 3 hours of satellite observation) imagery, present day, and historical imagery. GIBS can be incorporated into web clients and geographic information system (GIS) applications. It is currently used in NASA's Worldview, Worldview Snapshots, Earthdata Search, and State of the Ocean (SOTO).

Land, Atmosphere Near real-time Capability for Earth Observations (LANCE)

LANCE provides access to near real-time products from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS), Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2), Multi-angle Imaging SpecroRadiometer (MISR), Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS), Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Measurement of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT), Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), Ozone Mapping Profiler Suite (OMPS) and Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS, including VIIRS Land and VIIRS Atmosphere) instruments in less than 3 hours from observation. The data support applications users who are interested in monitoring and analyzing a wide variety of natural and man-made phenomena. LANCE freely provides access to 100+ data products through FTP servers (Earthdata Login required) and imagery from 100+ products.

Download our fact sheet on LANCE to learn more.

Earthdata Login

Earthdata Login provides a simple, centralized mechanism for user registration and user profile management for all DAAC users accessing data. The information provided by users when they register for Earthdata Login helps NASA better understand how our data are being used and the diverse needs of multiple user communities. This helps us prioritize improvements in data discovery, access, and usability. Registration also allows us to inform users with pertinent information such as the availability of new or updated data products, or data quality issues. In the future, it will allow for new value-added features and customized services resulting in a better user experience.

Web Infrastructure

Earthdata is managed using the Drupal content management system (CMS). Users wanting to become content editors/contributors should contact the Earthdata Content Management Team, as it requires an Earthdata Login for access. Additional capabilities of the site include the Earthdata Wiki, User Support Tool (UST), Earthdata Issue Tracking and Feature Enhancement (Jira), Requirements Collection and Management (Jama), Continuous Integration (Bamboo), and Code Repository (Bitbucket).

International Directory Network (IDN)

The Committee on Earth Observing Satellites (CEOS) IDN search client serves as NASA’s contribution to CEOS. The IDN provides access to more than 32,000 Earth science data set descriptions (stored in CMR) which cover subject areas within Earth and environmental sciences. IDN's mission is to assist researchers, policy makers, and the public in the discovery of and access to data relevant to global change and Earth science research.

Configuration Management

NASA's EOSDIS system has a rigorous approach to configuration management. This system has evolved over the years to support changes in software and system development techniques. Configuration management ensures that changes to the baseline configuration are properly and completely defined and presented in such a way that management can evaluate and consider the implications of the proposed change. Factors for the evaluation include the impact on technical, cost, schedule, operations, as well as user impacts.

NASA's Configuration Management EOSDIS Tool (COMET) was created to meet configuration management requirements for ESDIS and Earth Science Mission Operations (ESMO). Access to COMET is controlled by ESDIS and ESMO.