Keeping the DSCOVR Mission Alive

Abstract

The title of Science 's article about NASA's decision to cancel the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite mission, “NASA terminates Gore's eye on Earth” (ScienceScope, A. Lawler, 6 Jan., p. 26), was misleading. This title trivializes the real nature of the mission and obscures the fact that DSCOVR is not the same as the Triana mission promoted by then Vice President Gore. The Triana concept was to provide the public (via the Internet) with a continuous, real-time image of the entire, sunlit Earth, essentially a TV camera in space. DSCOVR is a high-priority, peer-reviewed scientific mission, conceived and developed by a team of experts. In 1998, NASA issued a request for information to the science community regarding utilization of the L-1 Lagrange point between Earth and the Sun, from which the entire sunlit hemisphere of our planet can be continuously observed. Our team responded by recommending broadband and high-resolution, spectro-radiometric measurements that would improve understanding of the solar/infrared energy balance ([1][1]) for the Earth system as well as of atmospheric composition and dynamics. Importantly, these observations would provide calibrations and integral constraints for all satellites in geostationary and low Earth orbit because they all are at times in view from L-1. Our proposal was selected by NASA after rigorous scientific and technical reviews. Solar activity observations were added at NASA's request to satisfy scientific needs and NOAA's operational requirements for space weather monitoring. DSCOVR is firmly based on the ideas developed by the science team. The transmission of live images of Earth added to the educational outreach component of the mission but was by no means the primary objective. Many scientists, both in the United States and abroad, view DSCOVR as one of NASA's most important and innovative Earth science missions. The satellite has been built and could still be launched in time to provide synergistic data coincident with current and future orbiting systems. It offers great potential both as a source of fundamental scientific observations and as a pioneering Earth sciences mission from deep space. 1. 1.[↵][2]1. R. J. Charlson, 2. F. P. J. Valero, 3. J. H. Seinfeld , Science 308, 806 (2005). [OpenUrl][3][Abstract/FREE Full Text][4] [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #xref-ref-1-1 View reference 1. in text [3]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DScience%26rft.stitle%253DScience%26rft.aulast%253DCharlson%26rft.auinit1%253DR.%2BJ.%26rft.volume%253D308%26rft.issue%253D5723%26rft.spage%253D806%26rft.epage%253D807%26rft.atitle%253DATMOSPHERIC%2BSCIENCE%253A%2BIn%2BSearch%2Bof%2BBalance%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1126%252Fscience.1108162%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F15879202%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [4]: /lookup/ijlink/YTozOntzOjQ6InBhdGgiO3M6MTQ6Ii9sb29rdXAvaWpsaW5rIjtzOjU6InF1ZXJ5IjthOjQ6e3M6ODoibGlua1R5cGUiO3M6NDoiQUJTVCI7czoxMToiam91cm5hbENvZGUiO3M6Mzoic2NpIjtzOjU6InJlc2lkIjtzOjEyOiIzMDgvNTcyMy84MDYiO3M6NDoiYXRvbSI7czoyNDoiL3NjaS8zMTEvNTc2Mi83NzUuMy5hdG9tIjt9czo4OiJmcmFnbWVudCI7czowOiIiO30=