Reply to “Space Station?” by L.H. Meredith] EOS: The Earth Observing System and polar platforms

Abstract

The statement about the Space Station by L. H. Meredith (Eos, September 29, 1987) did not mention the Polar Platform component of the space station. Insofar as the planned Earth Observing System (EOS) will make extensive use of the Polar Platform, the following description is provided so that more complete information is available to the Eos readership in the invited discussion on the space station. EOS, with participation by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), European Space Agency (ESA), and Japan, is the cornerstone of the Mission to Planet Earth initiative. It will use the Polar Platform for the most massive undertaking in characterizing the Earth system and in studying global change that has ever been attempted. The description here has been abstracted from a NASA report that will soon be available for public distribution: “From Pattern to Process: The Strategy of the Earth Observing System.”