NASA Leads The Way
Coastal sunrise photo by Scott Kelly (credit: NASA/ISS)
In a major announcement, NASA made all their scientific research discoveries, data, imagery, and analysis available to the public for free. Access to the information is now just a click away, with the launch of an online portal with the searchable database: PubSpace. According to the space agency:
"we are celebrating this opportunity to extend access to our extensive portfolio of scientific and technical publications. Through open access and innovation we invite the global community to join us in exploring Earth, air, and space. The portal is in response to a request from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, directing science-funding agencies to increase access to the results of their research."
Making federally-funded research information easier to access can greatly magnify the impact of the research. Data and analysis in the geo-sciences, environmental change, marine, and other Earth investigations gathered by the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA), the US Geological Survey (USGS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other agencies is a resource for everyone to utilize. NASA showed the way for these other US agencies to do likewise. Scientific knowledge, data, and expertise is needed now more than ever.
WHB