Abstract The Volcano Sensor Web (VSW) is a globe-spanning net of sensors and applications for detecting volcanic activity. Alerts from the VSW are used to trigger observations from space using the Earth Observing-1 ( EO-1 ) spacecraft. Onboard EO-1 is the Autonomous Sciencecraft Experiment (ASE) advanced autonomy software. Using ASE has streamlined spacecraft operations and has enabled the rapid delivery of high-level products to end-users. The entire process, from initial alert to product delivery, is autonomous. This facility is of great value as a rapid response is vital during a volcanic crisis. ASE consists of three parts: (1) Science Data Classifiers, which process EO-1 Hyperion data to identify anomalous thermal signals; (2) a Spacecraft Command Language; and (3) the Continuous Activity Scheduling Planning Execution and Replanning (CASPER) software that plans and replans activities, including downlinks, based on available resources and operational constraints. For each eruption detected, thermal emission maps and estimates of eruption parameters are posted to a website at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, in Pasadena, CA. Selected products are emailed to end-users. The VSW uses software agents to detect volcanic activity alerts generated from a wide variety of sources on the ground and in space, and can also be easily triggered manually.

Since the beginning of the U.S. space program, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has trained astronauts in basic earth science topics to support their observations of Earth's surface from low Earth orbit. From its roots in the Apollo geology training campaigns, we describe the evolution of astronaut Earth observation training across human spaceflight programs, with a focus on the training for space shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) missions. Astronauts' Earth observation experiences—both preflight training and interactions with scientists on the ground during spaceflight missions—provide relevant information for defining training requirements for future astronaut exploration missions on other planetary surfaces.