How NASA uses aircraft to see what satellites might miss

Space · Published 9 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: While a fleet of 17 satellites provides a global view of our planet, they cannot always capture every detail. To solve complex puzzles like hurricane formation or local air quality, NASA deploys agile aircraft to put scientists and instruments directly into the field for a closer look.

NASA's Earth science strategy relies on a dual approach: global satellite observations paired with targeted airborne research campaigns. While satellites offer long-term, planetary-scale perspectives, aircraft serve as nimble platforms for high-resolution data collection. This allows researchers to gather process-oriented knowledge and validate the remote-sensing measurements taken from space. These airborne campaigns are essential for the calibration and validation of space-borne Earth observations. They provide the high-resolution imagery necessary for advanced Earth system science.

One such initiative, the DISCOVER-AQ campaign, aims to improve how we monitor air quality from orbit. By studying how pollutants change at different altitudes and throughout a summer day, scientists hope to eventually observe air quality from space with much higher resolution. Previous studies for this project focused on areas like Houston, central California, and the Washington-Baltimore region. The agency uses these field studies to understand how local air quality fluctuates during a summer day. This research helps bridge the gap between ground-based sensors and orbital monitoring.

Current research also tackles the mysteries of weather and ecology. For instance, while forecasters can project the paths of hurricanes, the specific mechanisms that cause these storms to intensify remain a puzzle. Meanwhile, other missions study the impact of climate change on polar regions or use aircraft like the P-3B and B200 to measure pollution along Colorado’s Front Range, where urban, agricultural, and oil and gas activities mix. In addition to weather studies, researchers use these platforms to examine forest ecology in the Sierra Nevada. They also monitor ocean biology along the California coast to gain deeper ecological insights.

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