The Challenge
Background:
Since the earliest days of the space program, humanity's venture into space has brought new knowledge about Earth. For example, Earth-orbiting satellites have allowed us to observe our changing human and natural environment. This Earth science data has had many scientific and commercial applications.
Earth science has also inspired people to think about their planet in new ways. Stories and images of Earth sent back from space have moved generations of people around the world to consider our common humanity and the interdependent global ecosystem. Today, NASA’s Earth Science Division operates both space-based and ground-based sensors that provide vital data for tackling the world’s top challenges, including climate change and COVID-19.
Digital tools can help people learn about and better understand NASA’s Earth science legacy. Apps, games, and other interactive media are powerful ways to educate students and the public. Today such tools are more important than ever, as COVID-19 has limited access to classrooms and museums. Digital tools can also reach people who might never have an opportunity to visit NASA facilities.
Your challenge is to tell stories of NASA Earth science—its history or its ongoing work—using interactive digital tools. The technology you build, the stories you tell, and how you tell these stories are all equally important. Acceptable formats include apps, games, digital experiences (e.g., VR/AR, virtual tours, etc.), or websites the user can engage with (e.g., maps or expandable timelines). You may use the data we’ve collected, but you are encouraged to do your own research as well.
Potential Considerations:
- Choosing a topic
- You may tell a big-picture story, or focus on one event, person, technology, mission, etc.
- You may choose to provide a new interpretation of a well-known topic or showcase a lesser-known topic.
- You may highlight successes while also exploring challenges, failures, and setbacks experienced along the way.
- You may consider NASA’s collaborations with other space agencies or partners, especially in your home country.
- Developing digital tools
- The project should be interactive and immersive.
- You can incorporate text, images, video, or sound.
- Earth observations have long inspired artwork, so you may incorporate art into your storytelling, including your own works.
- Remember to make sure you have the rights to use any text, images, video, sound, or artwork that are not your own.
- Telling your story
- Think like a historian (if the topic is historical) or an educator (if the topic is current). Make careful decisions about what is important and why. Weigh evidence and explain your approach.
- Consider questions such as:
- How have space-based technologies and activities changed what we know about the Earth? What has been unique about doing Earth science from space?
- What have been the major factors pushing Earth science forward? What people, places, and events should be part of this narrative? What ideas, movements, or breakthroughs made these efforts possible and convinced people to invest in them?
- What role has Earth science played in NASA’s history? What were the twists and turns—both inside and outside the agency?
- Are there new stories to tell about well-known artifacts, like the “Earthrise” image or Landsat? Can we highlight lesser-known milestones? What important people continue to be "hidden figures"?
- How has Earth science affected human culture? How have Earth observations changed the way that people understand the past, the present, and even the future?
- How has Earth science research been applied in other areas? How has Earth science enabled space science?
- What context or backstory explains how we arrived at a key moment?
- What do NASA documents and first-person accounts teach us about key decisions and how the Agency understood its own role in Earth science?
- How do you introduce your topic to someone who has no background in Earth science?
- How have ideas about Earth and the value of studying it changed over time? In what ways have the concerns of Earth scientists changed over time?
For data and resources related to this challenge, refer to the Resources tab at the top of the page.
NASA does not endorse any non-U.S. Government entity and is not responsible for information contained on non-U.S. Government websites.