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every day, NASA satellites orbit the Earthcollecting a wealth of information that helps us understand our planet. From forest fire monitoring to climate change monitoring, this vast collection of earth science data has the potential to drive scientific discovery, inform policy decisions and support industries such as agriculture, urban planning and disaster response.
But navigating more than 100 petabytes of collected data can be challenging, which is why NASA partnered with Microsoft to explore the use of a custom copilot using the Azure OpenAI service to develop NASA’s Earth Copilot, which could change the way people interact with data from Earth.
Geospatial data is complex and often requires a certain level of technical expertise to navigate. As a result, these data are usually only available to a limited number of researchers and scientists. As NASA collects more data from new satellites, these complexities only grow and may further limit the potential pool of people who can gain insights and develop applications that could benefit society.
Recognizing this challenge, NASA embarked on a mission to make its data more accessible and easier to use. Through NASA’s Office of the Chief Science Data Officer, the agency seeks to democratize access to data, breaking down technical barriers to empower diverse audiences, from scientists and educators to policymakers and the general public.
The challenge: navigating the complexity of the data
NASA’s Earth Science Data Systems Program is responsible for collecting an incredible variety of data from space-based sensors and instruments. This data covers everything from atmospheric conditions to land cover changes, ocean temperatures and more. However, the sheer volume and complexity of this information can be overwhelming. For many, finding and extracting insights requires navigating technical interfaces, understanding data formats, and mastering the intricacies of geospatial analysis — specialized skills that very few non-technical users possess. AI could streamline this process, reducing the time it takes to extract insights from data from Earth to seconds.
This issue is not just a matter of convenience; it has real-world implications. For example, scientists who need to analyze historical hurricane data to improve predictive models or policymakers who want to study patterns of deforestation to enforce environmental regulations may not be able to easily access the data they need. This unavailability affects a wide range of sectors, including agriculture, urban planning and disaster response, where timely insights from space data could make a significant difference.
Moreover, as new satellites with new instruments continue to launch and collect more data, NASA is constantly challenged to build new tools to manage and understand this growing repository. The agency has been exploring emerging technologies that can not only simplify data discovery, but also expand accessibility, enabling more people to engage with data and discover new insights.
The solution: AI-powered data access through Microsoft Azure
To address these challenges, NASA IMPACT worked with Microsoft to develop an AI-driven user copilot, called Earth Copilot, that could simplify data access and encourage a wider range of users to interact with its Earth science data. Together, they built a proof-of-concept AI model that leverages Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform and advanced AI capabilities to transform the way users can search, discover, and analyze NASA geospatial data.
The key to NASA’s Earth Copilot lies in the integration of cloud-based technologies such as Azure OpenAI Service, which provides access to powerful AI models and natural language processing capabilities that enable developers to integrate intelligent, conversational AI into their applications. This approach allows NASA to integrate AI into its existing data analytics platform — VEDA. Together, these technologies make it easier for users to search, discover, and analyze Earth science data
By combining these technologies, Earth Copilot enables users to interact with NASA’s data repository through plain language queries. Instead, they can simply ask questions like “What was the impact of Hurricane Ian on Sanibel Island?” or “How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected US air quality?” AI will then retrieve the relevant data sets, making the process seamless and intuitive.
“Azure’s robust suite of services, including machine learning, data analytics and scalable cloud infrastructure, power this AI prototype,” said Juan Carlos López, a former NASA engineer and current Azure expert at Microsoft. “We designed the system to efficiently handle complex queries and large data sets, ensuring users can quickly find the information they need without getting bogged down by technical complexities. Our goal was to create a seamless, scalable solution that could evolve as NASA’s data, tools and applications grow.”
Democratization of data for open science
The collaboration between NASA IMPACT and Microsoft has resulted in a solution that democratizes access to space data, enabling a wider range of users to engage with NASA science data. This has significant benefits for the scientific community, as researchers can now spend less time finding data and more time on analysis and discovery. For example, climate scientists can quickly access historical data to study trends, while agricultural experts can gain insight into soil moisture levels to improve crop management.
Educators and teachers can use real-world examples to engage students in Earth science, sparking curiosity and encouraging the next generation of scientists and engineers. Policymakers can use the data to make informed decisions on critical issues such as climate change, urban development and disaster preparedness, ensuring they have the most accurate information at their fingertips.
“The vision behind this collaboration was to leverage AI and cloud technologies to bring Earth’s insights to underserved communities, where access to data can lead to tangible improvements,” said Minh Nguyen, Cloud Solutions Architect at Microsoft. “By enabling users to interact with data through simple, plain-language queries, we’re helping to democratize access to information from space.”
The development of this artificial intelligence prototype is aligned with NASA’s Open Science initiative, which aims to make scientific research more transparent, inclusive and collaborative. By removing barriers to data discovery, NASA and Microsoft are setting the stage for a new era of discovery, where insights are not limited to a select few, but can be explored and expanded by anyone who is curious about the world.
Looking Ahead: Bridging the Data-Insight Gap
Currently, NASA Earth Copilot is available to NASA scientists and researchers to explore and test its capabilities. Any responsible implementation of AI technologies requires rigorous assessments to ensure that data and results cannot be misused. After a period of internal evaluations and testing, the NASA IMPACT team will explore integrating this capability into VEDA platform.
This collaboration is an example of how technology can empower people, drive innovation and create positive change. Solutions like this will be critical in ensuring the benefits of data are widely shared, enabling more people to engage, analyze and act on the information that shapes our world.
