NASA's Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) has a long tradition of providing new classes of global observations of the Earth system through the use of space-based remote sensing. In addition to providing global data sets for scientific research involving environmental parameters previously not observed on such a scale, ESE has pioneered in facilitating the use of these data by operational agencies, and in incorporating them through their inclusion in data assimilation systems to improve environmental forecasting. Several examples of our recent experiences in these areas, and a sense of "lessons learned" that may be of use as new types of data products and forecasting capability are enabled for space weather studies will be presented.