U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological Survey

Maryland Space Business RoundtableMaryland Space Business Roundtable May 20, 2008May 20, 2008

Science, Society, and the Importance of Earth Observation Mark Myers, Director, U.S. Geological Survey

Humans become agents of environmental changeHumans become agents of environmental change

Ecological equilibrium disturbedEcological equilibrium disturbed

Human-induced changes on a global scale Approaching thresholds of ecosystems

Threats to earth resources

Human-induced changes on a global scale Approaching thresholds of ecosystems

Threats to earth resources

Night light produced largely from fossil fuels

An index of human power in the environment

NASA

The Human EffectThe Human Effect

• Humans have already transformed 40-50% of the ice-free land surface on earth.

• Humans now use 54% of the available fresh water on the globe.

• Humans are now an order of magnitude more important at moving sediment than the sum of all other natural processes operating on the surface of the planet.

• Humans have already transformed 40-50% of the ice-free land surface on earth.

• Humans now use 54% of the available fresh water on the globe.

• Humans are now an order of magnitude more important at moving sediment than the sum of all other natural processes operating on the surface of the planet.

Increased demand Increased demand

Energy

Minerals

Water

Agriculture

Recreation

Preserved natural habitat

Energy

Minerals

Water

Agriculture

Recreation

Preserved natural habitat

Water Quality and AvailabilityWater Quality and Availability

Water a limited resource, global issue

Diminished by climate changepopulation growthagricultural use

Transboundary issues

Water a limited resource, global issue

Diminished by climate changepopulation growthagricultural use

Transboundary issues

USGS Science Strategy DirectionsUSGS Science Strategy Directions

Understanding Ecosystems and Predicting Ecosystem Change

Climate Variability and Change

Energy and Minerals for America’s Future

A National Hazards, Risk, and Resilience Assessment Program

The Role of Environment and Wildlife in Human Health

A Water Census of the United States

Data Integration and Beyond

Understanding Earth SystemsUnderstanding Earth Systems

All earth resources interrelated.

Climate change, population growth accelerate difficulties, complexity

USGS science strategy based on systems approach

All earth resources interrelated.

Climate change, population growth accelerate difficulties, complexity

USGS science strategy based on systems approach

Ecosystem Mapping and AnalysisEcosystem Mapping and Analysis

Scientific and Societal Benefits of Land Imaging

Satellite Remote Sensing at DOI

1966 - Initiated Earth Resources Observation Systems Program

“…the time is now right and urgent to apply space technology towards the solution of many pressing natural resource problems being compounded by population and industrial growth.” Secretary of the Interior Stewart L. Udall, 1966

Landsat 1-3Multi-Spectral Scanner (MSS) 79 meter

Return Beam Vidicon (RBV) 80/40 meter

Landsat 4-5Multi-Spectral Scanner (MSS) 79 meter

Thematic Mapper (TM) 30 meter

Landsat 7Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) 30/15 meter

2008 – USGS Owns and Operates Landsats 5 & 7; Archives Earth Observation Data from 6 Operational Satellites

Agriculture & Forestry

Wildlife & Public Lands

Commerce & Industry

Regional, State, and Local Government

Disaster Management -- Hazard Analysis -- Disaster Mitigation & Planning -- Damage Assessment -- Recovery & Relief

International Economic Development

National Security / Homeland Security

Global Change Policy & Research

Crop and Timber Inventories, Crop ForecastingCrop, Irrigation, & Forest Management

Vegetation, Species, Habitat & Wetlands Inventories & ManagementRefuge Management & PlanningNatural Resource, Mineral Wealth, Rangeland Management

Land & Property ValuationReal Estate Property ManagementMines, Mineral Resources, & Energy Exploration & ManagementPower Plant & Pipeline ManagementTransportation Planning & ManagementInland Waterway, Open Sea, Sea Ice, & Port Navigation

Land Surveys, Soils & Geologic MappingWater Resource Planning, Reservoir & Water Quality Management Land Use PlanningReal Property & Government Property ManagementSpring Flooding Prediction & Analysis, Flood Plain AssessmentErosion Control

Hurricanes & Severe StormsFloods & LandslidesWildfires & Forest FiresEarthquakes & Volcanoes

USAID In-Country Applications

Global Coastal Mapping & Monitoring, Emergency Response, Theater Mapping, Illicit Crop Detection

Land Cover Change, Deforestation, Desertification, SalinizationLand Surface Processes, Hydrology, Snow cover & GlaciationEcosystem Analysis, Urban and Rural Geography

DOI Applications of Landsat Imagery

National Land Cover Database (NLCD 2001)National Land Cover Database (NLCD 2001)

Status of Landsats 5 and 7

Landsat 5 Launched in 1984; almost 24 years old (3-yr design life) Providing ground station reception-area coverage for U.S. and its

International Cooperators Operating on several backup subsystem components Items of concern: Transmitters, Solar Arrays, Batteries…

Landsat 7 Launched in 1999; suffered key sensor degradation in 2003 Providing routine global coverage for U.S. archive Each scene retains 75% of high-quality data Scenes are still good for some uses “as is”

(with 25% missing along edges) Scenes filled in by ground system processing are also useful Items of concern: Gyroscopes

Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM)

NASA and USGS working to ensure continuous availability of scientifically sound Landsat-type data

NASA: Procures satellite, instrument, and launch services Manages mission integration and post-launch system checkout Transfers satellite to USGS after on-orbit checkout Cooperates with USGS in ongoing data calibration/validation

USGS: Procures ground station network, ground data archive and processing systems,

and flight operations facility Coordinates with NASA on mission integration and system checkout Operates satellite and manages data archive and distribution Sponsors Landsat Science Team co-chaired by USGS and NASA Manages ongoing data calibration/validation

Launch projected for 2011

National Land Imaging Program

Announced August 2007

In December 2005, the President’s Science Advisor had stated:

“It remains the goal of the U.S. Government to transition the Landsat program from a series of independently planned missions to a sustained operational program…”

http://www.landimaging.gov/

NLIP Vision: To serve the Nation by acquiring and providing operational land imaging

capabilities and applications to support U.S. economic, environmental, foreign policy, and security interests.

NLIP Responsibilities: Oversee a Federal Land Imaging Council and Land Imaging Advisory

Committee; Manage U.S. Land Imaging requirements (optical, SAR, etc.); Acquire U.S. Land Imaging systems and data; Develop new applications for Federal, State, and local government; Investigate and develop new remote sensing technology; Ensure data delivery to universities and scientists, NGOs, and international

organizations; and Coordinate acquisition and data distribution plans with U.S. industry, foreign

governments, and foreign commercial firms.

In summary: “Ensure availability, access, and ease of use of land imaging data for the Nation”.

National Land Imaging Program (NLIP)

Land Remote Sensing:Helping build bridges to rational solutionsLand Remote Sensing:Helping build bridges to rational solutions

Evangelical Leaders Join Global Warming Initiative - New York TimesFebruary 8, 2006By LAURIE GOODSTEINDespite opposition from some of their colleagues, 86 evangelical Christian leaders have decided to back a major initiative to fight global warming, saying "millions of people could die in this century

Copper prices set another recordBy Dale Funk, Contributing EditorApr 1, 2006 12:00 PMWhile most wire and cable industry veterans and commodity analysts expected 2006 to be a year of moderation for copper prices, when copper jumped 9.45 cents to nearly $2.36 a pound on March 17 on the New York Mercantile Exchange, it set another record.

A British experts report on climate change warns that failure to curb global warming could trigger worldwide economic devastation, with poor countries hit first and hardest.  Prime Minister Tony Blair called for urgent international action.