Explorer VII
Environmental observations are the foundation for understanding the climate system. Global climate studies of Earth began in 1959 when NASA launched Explorer VII, a satellite carrying a thermal radiation instrument designed and built at the University of Wisconsin in Madison that could measure energy emitted from Earth. Explorer made 4000 observations each day. Analysis of the data showed latitudinal and seasonal changes.

ERBE
n the 1970's NASA began a project to make even more detailed regional and global measurements of the radiation budget called ERBE, the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment. The first ERBE instruments were launched by the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1984. ERBE instruments were also launched on two NOAA weather satellites in 1984 and 1986. A major research problem addressed with the ERBE program was how clouds affect the radiative energy balance of the planet and climate change. Results from ERBE verified that in the global mean, clouds reduce the radiative heating of the planet.

CERES
NASA began CERES, the Clouds and the Earths Radiant Energy System experiment in 1997. CERES instruments are a substantial improvement over the ERBE instruments as can be seen in this view of longwave radiation emitted from Earth in May 2000. CERES collects solar-reflected and Earth-emitted radiation from the top of the atmosphere to the Earth's surface. CERES is focused on four priorities for understanding the Earth system:
1) Long-Term Climate Variability
2) Climate Prediction
3) Natural Hazards
4) Land Cover Change and Global Productivityn the 1970's NASA began a project to make even more detailed regional and global measurements of the radiation budget called ERBE, the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment.

The first ERBE instruments were launched by the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1984. ERBE instruments were also launched on two NOAA weather satellites in 1984 and 1986. A major research problem addressed with the ERBE program was how clouds affect the radiative energy balance of the planet and climate change. Results from ERBE verified that in the global mean, clouds reduce the radiative heating of the planet.