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Improving the Discovery, Access, and Use of Earth Science Data

Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), you can leverage NASA's Earth observations to perform analysis, create maps, and develop applications.

3D image of precipitation levels during Hurricane Irma rendered from Geographical Information Systems tools

A 3D visualization generated using GIS tools of total daily precipitation (in mm) in the Southeast United States from September 8 to September 12, 2017, during Hurricane Irma's peak precipitation levels. Credit: NASA.

Access NASA Earth Science Data 

The vision of NASA's Earth Science Data Systems (ESDS) Program is to identify and deliver high value Earth science data in formats compliant and compatible with GIS standards; to ensure data are interactive, interoperable, accessible, and GIS-enabled through primary GIS platforms; and to provide the maximum impact to research, education, and public user communities requiring data visualization and spatial analysis. 

Learn more about free data tools such as Worldview and Earthdata Search that can help you optimize your GIS data.

See NASA Earth Science GIS Data in Action

GIS data can be leveraged as powerful imagery that enhances the communication of important trends in Earth science.

Learn about NASA Earthdata as Image Services 

Image services are a way to process and share collections of imagery. This provides considerable flexibility and scalability for storing, processing, analyzing, and sharing raster products, including multiband or multidimensional data. 

These services leverage a powerful server backend to perform the required processing on-the-fly and dynamic mosaicking of images. These applications can access the imagery as a seamless mosaic or query into the metadata of each image to display only a selection of the data or apply processing across datasets to find differences or perform classification. These processes can include reprojection, orthorectification, clipping, the application of complex image processing algorithms, and more. 

Find and Use Feature and Image Services 

NASA’s Earthdata Geographic Information System (EGIS) is a resource for distributing cloud-native, GIS-ready NASA Earth observation data, services, and resources. This includes ArcGIS and Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC)-compliant raster and feature geospatial services and raster analytic functions. EGIS’ goal is to provide a consistent user experience across NASA programs and projects in order to enhance resource discovery through primary platforms commonly used by the GIS community. Check out some of the published image services currently available: 

NASA GIBS: Interact with NASA’s GIS Imagery Directly

NASA's Global Imagery Browse Services (GIBS) system provides visualizations of NASA Earth Science observations through standardized web services. These services deliver global, full-resolution visualizations of satellite data to users in a highly responsive manner, enabling interactive exploration of Earth. GIBS visualizations are accessible through standards-compliant web services that allow you to access directly GIBS visualizations directly within many Geographic Information System (GIS) clients. Explore how-to guides on accessing GIBS.

Tour NASA Earthdata Narratives

Scroll through these narrative resources created by NASA Earth Science to unearth the types of stories you can tell with our data. Click on the images below to check out the interactive text, images, GIFs, videos, and learning content offered below. 

Explore Thematic GIS Applications

You can create and explore interactive GIS products by combining high-value data together in an interactive, informative, web-based application. Below, find resources focused on key topics or themes that allow users to see the best available data from NASA to help them understand complex challenges facing our world. 

View NASA Earth Science Thematic Web Maps.

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Against a bright yellow and orange background, a dark shape with a glowing light-yellow center dominates the center of this data visualization of Hawaii climate.

Celebrate GIS Day 2024

To celebrate GIS Day, take a peek at these illuminating examples of NASA Earth Science leveraging Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to understand our home planet.
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A graphic showing the locations of GNSS stations in North America, Central America, a portion of South America, Greenland, western Eurpoe, and western Africa.

No Longer Just an Experiment: 30 Years of the IGS

The International Global Navigation Satellite Systems Service (IGS), a voluntary federation of more than 200 self-funding entities, celebrates three decades of providing high-quality data.
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