26. THE NASA EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE PROGRAM IN 21ST
CENTURY
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Enhanced Thematic Mapper instrument on Landsat, with an overall
performance 4 to 10 times better than Landsat system. The second New
Millennium mission will test a Space-Readiness Coherent Lidar Experiment
aboard the Space for measuring the atmospheric wind speed and direction
for the first time.
4.
THE APPLICATIONS IMPERATIVE
As stated previously, ESE has recognized that its knowledge and data
have significant practical value to society and therefore is fostering increased
access to, and use of, the information to make better, more informed
decisions on a daily basis. Decisions regarding important issues such as
those related to weather and climate forecasting, flood monitoring and
mitigation, agriculture productivity, natural resource management, urban and
regional planning, drought impact assessment, and transportation planning.
To this end, the ESE formulated and implemented a new program aimed at
applications research and commercial developments
including
communication of ESE data and science to the non-science communities.
The content of this new initiative is defined based on six applications
themes. These applications themes are similar in concept to the high-level
science themes and questions that drive the scientific research in ESE. The
major difference is that the applications themes are defined by public and
private sector markets and necessities, and not scientific curiosity. The
current applications themes include food and fiber, natural resources,
disaster management, environmental quality, urban and infrastructure, and
human health and safety.