Opening Historical Airborne Data to Present Day Researchers

For more than 50 years, NASA has flown airborne sensors to carry out research, validate satellite sensors, and test new instrument capabilities. Prior to the year 2000 and the growing use of the internet, there was often no reliable way to publicly access these historical data products. Most data were retained by research scientists for their own use and that of collaborators and other associates. Though freely available upon request from the scientists, the data was not as easy to share or discover. Some limited search capabilities existed - including the use of actual hard copy, geographic coverage maps and quick browse access via microfilm browse images to identify existing photos. Scanning of the analog media wasn't possible at first and even once available was scanned onto various tapes utilized by specialized readers that soon became obsolete. These early media were often stored away in closets or warehouses, a leftover from a world that quickly transitioned to digital operations.

Based on previous science researcher survey feedback, the NASA Airborne Data Management Group (ADMG) was formed in 2018 to improve the discoverability and accessibility of all NASA-funded airborne and field data. One of ADMG's primary tasks is to locate, recover, and facilitate the transition of historical data to NASA Distributed Active Archive Centers (DAACs) for proper data stewardship. ADMG works to identify and record the contextual information needed to reuse this older data and serves as a knowledge center providing the details needed to locate and access the data.

This presentation will share details of two recent data recovery successes and the lessons learned while saving both ER-2 aircraft high-resolution photographs and DC-8 videos from destruction. These collections contain valuable surface and environmental information for use in change comparisons and data assessments for sensor data re-use. Each collection of analog data required development and funding of plans for media digitization and archival to ensure open public access to these valuable photos and movies. The ADMG also facilitated assignment of both collections to a NASA DAAC and now guides tool development to enhance reuse of the data.