During the past decade, NASA's Earth Science Division has worked to address the concerns and recommendations expressed by the National Research Council's (NRC) Earth Science Decadal Survey entitled Earth Science and Applications from Space (2007), the subsequent Responding to the Challenge of Climate and Environmental Change: NASA's Plan for a Climate-Centric Architecture for Earth Observations and Applications from Space (2010) and finally the NRC study entitled Precise Geodetic Infrastructure: National Requirements for a Shared Resource (2010).
In response to these calls for a more accurate and sustainable observational capability, NASA's Space Geodesy Program is undergoing significant reorganization. NASA has redoubled our support for the Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) and the geometric services of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG). In addition, NASA has nearly doubled its investments in Space Geodetic infrastructure and analysis software through the Space Geodesy Project.
NASA has formed the Space Geodesy Working Group to perform fact-finding related to the scientific, technical, and organizational issues associated with the ongoing development of the Space Geodesy Program. The term of service for the Space Geodesy Working Group is three years.
The Working Group is tasked to:
- Conduct semi-annual reviews of the Space Geodesy Program to include reviews of the Program's scientific requirements, strategies, and technical approaches; and
- Provide technical findings to NASA on its evaluations of and options for resolving program and project challenges following each semi-annual review.
The Working Group consists of the following members:
- Dr. Thomas Herring/MIT, USA (Chair)
- Dr. Zuheir Altamimi/LAREG/IGN, France
- Dr. James Davis/LDEO, USA
- Dr. William Melbourne, USA
- Dr. Meghan Miller/UNAVCO, USA
