Future of Earth observation at NASA

Earth Observing satellites provide a wide angle lens with which to view our home planet in a systematic manner. Significant progress has been made over the last few decades in understanding the Earth as a system and the impact of human actions. Remote global observations provide knowledge that can inform policies of specific features of our world in transition. As the stakes get higher with more population, infrastructure, and higher stress on ecosystems, how are leading space agencies around the world taking on this challenge at both the national, regional and international level?  How is the advent of improved access to space and of new constellations of capable, low cost buses enabling new ways of investigating the Earth and providing operational services? Further, the data from this armada of spacecraft being returned to Earth are considerably beyond any level ever experienced previously. How are the agencies addressing this challenge of processing and storing unpresented levels of data and getting it in the hands of the decision makers? How well are the international coordination bodies working? Senior representatives from various space agencies will participate in this special session, to address the issues mentioned above and discuss the path forward.