Michael Freilich, the scientist who directs the Earth Science Division, explains the importance of the Earth-monitoring satellites

By Stephanie Paige Ogburn and ClimateWire

Michael Freilich: Director of NASA's Earth Science Division. Image: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Flickr

NASA is well-known for its lunar landings and missions to Mars. But the agency makes major use of its space expertise running satellites that monitor the Earth, its climate and its weather.

It currently operates 16 Earth science research missions, and the agency's Earth Science Division is scheduled to launch up to five more in 2014.

Michael Freilich, the scientist who directs the Earth Science Division, took a few minutes to discuss with ClimateWire the importance of the Earth science missions and what he is looking forward to in the new year.

ClimateWire: Why is it important to observe the Earth from space?

Michael Freilich: If you are going to understand the connection between [biological, physical and chemical] processes, you have to be measuring lots of different quantities all at the same time.

The vantage point of space allows us to make measurements that have high spatial resolution but global coverage, and make frequent measurements at a particular place but for long periods of time. We couldn't look at the Earth as an integrated system where you have to measure all these different variables and over all these different scales before the advent of the space age.

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