NASA’s ability to add more investigations is uncertain within its expected future budgets, especially if it must depend on savings from improved technology and increased collaboration with others. Current Number of EOS Investigations Is Relatively Small

The EOS program is currently funding 29 interdisciplinary science investigations that were selected in 1989 and 1990 to use data from EOS instruments in more than one earth science discipline, such as geology, oceanography, meteorology, and climatology. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) used similar comparisons in its 1993 and 1995 editions of the EOS reference handbook. To counter this perception, NASA’s current strategy to expand the EOS research community involves (1) an open data access policy and (2) efforts to broaden and change the current community by adding investigations, reevaluating the current science investigations, and recruiting new investigators. Despite this apprehension, most interdisciplinary science investigators have experienced or expect little or no effect of budgetary turbulence on their own research. New Earth System Science Pathfinder Program: Implications for EOS Science Funding

Starting in 1996, NASA plans to solicit additional Earth science research through a new Earth System Science Pathfinder program. The administration is requesting $20 million for Pathfinder in fiscal year 1997 and plans to request $30 million, $75 million, and $75 million for fiscal years 1998, 1999, and 2000, respectively—a total of $200 million over the next 4 fiscal years. We used the scientists’ progress reports for 1992 to 1993, and 1995 to assess whether changes to EOS have adversely affected EOS’ interdisciplinary research.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) plans for funding its Earth Observing System (EOS) and developing EOS-related basic research, focusing on: (1) the current number of EOS science investigations; (2) researchers' views on whether changes to EOS have adversely affected their ability to carry out their interdisciplinary earth sciences investigations; and (3) the Earth System Science Pathfinder program and its potential impact on future EOS investigations.

What GAO Found

GAO found that: (1) NASA funds 29 interdisciplinary science investigations that use data from EOS instruments in more than one earth science discipline; (2) to expand the EOS research community, NASA plans to maintain an open data access policy, add investigations, reevaluate current science investigations, and recruit new investigators; (3) most EOS interdisciplinary scientists believe that EOS budgetary reductions have little or no effect on their work; and (4) NASA plans to use anticipated savings resulting from improved technology to fund more investigations and request a total of $200 million over the next 4 fiscal years for its Earth System Science Pathfinder program.