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slide 1 - Two photos of Cozette Parker. The photo on the left: Cozette Parker is standing outside in the desert with a big smile on her face. Tawny-colored hills of sand and dirt stretch out behind her. And a humumgous white antenna with a huge dome and intricate spokes holding it up arises out of the desert right behind her, a streak of brilliant sunlight reflecting against the photo. The photo on the right: Cozette Parker and Morgan Freeman standing side by side in a room at JPL, Cozette with a big smile on her face, Morgan Freeman looking cool and calm. Both are matching in blue clothes.

Forge your own JPL path

Cozette Parker grew up in the shadow of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. But she didn’t know what JPL did or have any idea she’d end up working there till much later.

slide 2 - A black and white image taken from a web-camera that shows the dark silhouette of a helicopter against a grainy sky in shades of gray and candlelight. A beacon of bright light erupts from the helicopter and shines down on the tree canopies seen at the very bottom edge of the photo.

Exploding trees:

How a NASA satellite captures the rise in carbon dioxide after large forest fires

slide 3 - Hurricane Ida's destruction in Louisiana is shown. A lonely mailbox emerges out of flood waters in the foreground, while trees and an electricity pole emerge further back. In the center of the image are the completely disheveled and helter-skelter remains of the home that belonged to the mail box. The only part of it left standing are the stairs going up the front porch.

Earth Stories

Read more stories about how JPL Earth Science is used in the community.

slide 4 - image of Earth's clouds and atmosphere from space

Earth Science & Technology

Using our unique expertise to better understand how Earth works as a system for the benefit of society

Features: JPL Earth science in the community

Lan Dang works on the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 and Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 satellites as the Science Data System Lead. When she’s not busy handling the data the satellite sends back, she’s pursuing her other passion: mentoring new hires and local schoolkids.

Lan Dang stands in a room, with others in the background, holding material for the tech demonstration/exploration they are working on.

Career profile: Lan Dang on mentorship at NASA-JPL

Green spaces can create urban oases, and a NASA mission has the data to show they also help pull carbon dioxide out of the air in cities.

Kids in the background standing on lush green grass, with pale pink flowers close-up.

A wall of green, a breath of fresh air

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and other space agencies around the world have successfully launched satellites that measure carbon dioxide from space. How did it all get started?

A group of scientists assembled in Nevada's Railroad Valley desert, posing for a picture in the sand, with mountains behind them, and a very bright sun

Cooperation, not competition: The making of a space sensor

How JPL helped out when a major tropical storm formed in the South Pacific in April 2020.

How JPL helped out when a major tropical storm formed in the South Pacific in April 2020.

When a cyclone strikes 5000 miles away, how can JPL help?

The global pandemic has been a difficult time, but you may have wondered: Have we at least put the brakes on climate change by staying home and not driving so much?

The global pandemic has been a difficult time, but you may have wondered: Have we at least put the brakes on climate change by staying home and not driving so much?

Did the pandemic slow down climate change?

Earth Science Missions

Currently there are more than a dozen missions in operation and several more in development being managed by the Earth Science and Technology Directorate.

Airborne Missions

Airborne Missions

JPL's Earth Science Airborne Suborbital Instruments and Measurements consist of missions utilizing remote sensing instruments for suborbital studies which are flown on a variety of airborne systems.