The Role of NASA’s Earth Action Program in Exploring Health and Air Quality Challenges

The World Health Organization has acknowledged that innovative applications of current and future technologies are required to mitigate emerging global health risks, including climate change. Over the past two years, the NASA Earth Science Division has supported successful launches of the TEMPO and PACE satellites, with additional missions on the near-horizon (e.g., MAIA). These missions offer a unique vantage point with high-resolution spatial and temporal information on diverse environmental parameters that are essential to better assess environmental health. This presentation offers an overview of the Health and Air Quality focus area within NASA’s Earth Action Program. In this program, through multidisciplinary collaborations, researchers have developed unique applications integrating NASA satellite observations to closely monitor environmental exposures like air pollutants (aerosols, particulate matter), evaluate vector habitat suitability, and support timely health advisories. Attendees will learn how they can join the wider health and air quality community through activities like the interagency-supported Earth Information Center and the GEO Health Community of Practice.