Flight Projects Directorate | Sciences & Exploration

Primary Responsibilities

• Manage the Earth Systematic Missions Program Office
• Development and operation of NASA Earth Science Missions
• NOAA Operational Weather Satellites/Climate Sensors

Scientific responsibilities

• Manage Earth Observing Systems and GSFC
• Provide high level science and consumer interface
• Support the new business process
• Support center competition initiatives
• Support Mission and Instrument sensor studies
• Provide leadership and advise to projects and missions
• Analyze and recommend adjustments to budgets
• Coordinating reporting to center management

NASA Headquarters and NOAA

• Coordinate major external and internal reviews
• Provide administrative and infrastructure support
• Oversee division level administrative functions
• Coordinate cross cutting activities and initiatives

Earth Science Decadal Survey Missions

• Direct all efforts associated with the Decadal Survey Missions
• Plan for instrument design and development
• Spacecraft design and development
• Ground system design and development
• Satellite integration and tests
• Mission operations through post-launch testing/operation

Current Projects

ESDIS (Earth Science Data and Information System) The Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project is responsible for providing scientific and other users access to data from NASA's Earth Science Enterprise.

ESMO (Earth Science Mission Operations) The Earth Science Mission Operations (ESMO) Project is responsible for spacecraft maintenance and operations for Earth Science missions conducted by the Earth Science Projects Division.

Glory The Glory mission will develop and launch an advanced polarimeter to increase our understanding of black carbon soot and other aerosols as causes of climate change as well as to continue the measurement of the Total Solar Irradiance.

GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) primarily provide long-range weather forecasting, ensuring that non-visible data, for any region of the Earth, are no more than six hours old.

GPM (Global Precipitation Management) The GPM Project will improve ongoing efforts to predict climate, improve the accuracy of weather and precipitation forecasts and provide more frequent and complete sampling of the Earth's precipitation.

LDCM (Landsat Data Continuity Mission ) LDCM will ensure the continuity of Landsat data. It will make all Landsat equivalent data collected available at affordable cost to enable farmers, school children, scientists, governments and many others to continue to utilize this data for high quality research and applications.

NPP (NPOESS Preparatory Project ) NPP will provide atmospheric and sea surface temperatures, humidity sounding, land and ocean biological productivity, and cloud and aerosol properties.

POES (Polar Operational Environmental Satellite) This program benefits that directly enhance the quality of human life and protection of Earth's environment include weather forecasts, monitoring severe storm movement, ozone levels and animal migrations patterns to detecting forest fires.