NASA is inviting the public to vote online for the most
important contribution the space agency has made to exploring Earth
and improving the way we live on our home planet. NASA is conducting
the survey as part of its celebration of Earth Day, April 22. Voting
begins today, and closes on April 21. Poll results will be announced
on NASA’s Web site on Earth Day.
A 2008 National Research Council study identified major
accomplishments resulting from Earth observations made from space.
The report, “Earth Observations from Space: The First 50 Years of
Scientific Achievements,” cataloged scientific discoveries and
practical applications, including many that resulted from NASA
missions, made possible from satellite observations.
NASA selected 10 candidates highlighted in the study for consideration
as the greatest achievements about planet Earth. The options include
diagnosing Earth’s ozone layer, predicting food shortages and
tracking ecosystems worldwide. Visitors to the online polling site
will be able to cast their votes for up to three candidate
accomplishments.
Since the launch of the United States’ first satellite in January
1958, NASA has pioneered the exploration of our home planet from
space. With more than a dozen observation satellites circling the
globe, NASA continues to advance the frontiers of scientific
discovery about Earth, its climate and its future. NASA’s
multidisciplinary Earth science program contains a broad-based
portfolio of cutting-edge science and technology, from new
remote-sensing instruments in orbit to basic research.
To cast your votes, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/earthday/greatest_hits.html
For more information about Earth Day and NASA, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/earthday
