2014 is a big year for the exploration of
our home planet.
For the first time in more than a decade,
5 NASA Earth science missions will head into
space in one year.
NASA satellites, aircraft, and research help
scientists find answers to critical challenges
facing our planet today -- from climate change
to sea level rise, natural disasters, and
extreme weather.
The first mission is the Global Precipitation
Measurement Core Observatory.
This is a joint project with the Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency to produce the first nearly
global views of rainfall and snowfall.
The Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 will make
precise, global measurements of the greenhouse
gas that is a major contributor to global
warming.
The Soil Moisture Active Passive mission will
track Earth's water into one of its last hiding
places -- the soil -- to help better manage
water resources and improve climate and weather
forecasts.
And we're sending two missions to fly on the
International 
Space Station.
In 2014 NASA will also fly a dozen scientific
airborne campaigns from the Arctic to the
Antarctic -- develop new sensor technologies
-- and help put satellite data to work meeting
the needs of people around the world.
Earth Right Now.
Your planet is changing.
We're on it!
