GLOBE News Brief – October 2026 | |
Website Updates
As GLOBE shifts to working more closely with NASA scientists on collecting ground observations for missions, we will be making changes to the GLOBE.gov website. In the coming months, GLOBE’s web presence will transition from GLOBE.gov to its new home on NASA.gov, bringing GLOBE’s web content under the NASA.gov platform while maintaining access to key program information and resources. To facilitate this change, we will create:
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Automatic redirects: Automatic redirects will be put in place for all your favorite pages and tools, so any existing bookmarks you have will seamlessly guide you to the right place.
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Guide to 2026–27 Changes on GLOBE.gov: This guide will be updated to keep you informed on every step of the site transition as changes are rolled out.
The updated website will include:
- New sections focused on NASA mission collaborations: Ground to Satellite, Earth System Science, and Applications and Impact
- A reorganized Data Tools section
- Do GLOBE and Training combined under Get Involved
- A new Community Resources section for news, stories, events, community maps, regional initiatives, research reports, learning activities, and facilitator resources
You will continue to have access to the protocols, resources, support, and database data you rely on. Please be patient as these changes roll out over the next several weeks.
The GLOBE Implementation Office will continue to provide support through webinars, community events, regional gatherings, and the GLOBE Annual Meeting. We’ll also share updates through our News Briefs. Questions can be directed to help@nasaglobe.org.
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Meet the Missions: NASA Connections with GLOBE
10 November | 12 pm ET (17:00 UTC)
Join us for an informal webinar to hear about some of the exciting current and planned activities to collect data supporting NASA science. Learn about science connections between GLOBE and the PACE, NISAR, SWOT, and EMIT satellites, as well as ECOSTRESS on the International Space Station. Learn more and register.
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New Regional Advisory Boards
The GLOBE Implementation Office’s Regional Coordination Hub is excited to announce the formation of new regional advisory boards to strengthen connections and collaboration across each region and throughout GLOBE communities worldwide. Board members will bring regional perspectives to GLOBE planning, foster scientific partnerships, and help shape activities and opportunities that support and engage participating countries.
Board members serve on a voluntary basis to champion GLOBE activities in their region. Members bring a wealth of expertise from their various roles as scientists, trainers, educators, and GLOBE alumni. Learn more about the boards’ responsibilities and view a complete list of members.
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PACE Clouds Challenge
15 September to 1 November
Thank you to everyone who has participated so far in the PACE Clouds Challenge! We have been impressed with the number of observations you have collected within the 5-minute observation window. So far, we have more than 5,369 GLOBE observations aligned with the PACE satellite to share with PACE scientists.
There’s still time to participate! Turn on satellite flyover notifications in the GLOBE Observer app and take a Clouds observation within 5 minutes of a PACE overpass. The official challenge ends 1 November, but please continue submitting PACE-aligned observations whenever you receive an alert. We will share data with the PACE scientists beyond the challenge.
Trainings, Tips, and Resources
The PACE Clouds Challenge Extends to Antarctica!
GLOBE will launch a special data collection campaign in the Antarctic region in collaboration with tour operators. Because NASA’s PACE satellite passes more frequently over polar regions, there are increased opportunities to collect observations during satellite overpasses. Tourists traveling to Antarctica will be trained to make GLOBE Clouds observations when PACE is passing over their location, helping contribute valuable ground-based data to support satellite science.
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GLOBE Agriculture Campaign
Starting Soon! Field Cover Intensive Observation Period
The new GLOBE Agriculture Campaign, starting soon and running through March 2027, invites volunteers to help NASA scientists better understand agricultural fields through land cover observations. The campaign supports three NASA missions—NISAR, SWOT, and EMIT—by providing data that can help scientists verify satellite observations of crops, soil, and surface water. Observations are especially needed in South America, India, and California, USA, but this opportunity is open to all GLOBE countries whose growing season falls within the campaign dates.
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Trees Around the GLOBE
Final Webinar Recording
The State of Eight Years and a Fond Farewell | The final Trees Around the GLOBE Student Research Campaign webinar was held on 27 October to celebrate 8 years of student research, data collection, and participation from 70 countries. (The final day of the campaign is 31 October.) Participants shared memories and experiences from the campaign and discussed how its work with tree height, land cover, and seasonal change can continue beyond the campaign.
Thank You!
A big thank you to current and past campaign team members—Brian Campbell (lead), Peder Nelson, Peter Falcon, Dorian Janney, and Dr. Christopher Shuman—for leading such a successful and engaging campaign. And of course, thank you to everyone who participated in webinars, conducted research, and learned about trees, vegetation, land cover, and more through data collection and campaign activities! We hope you will continue to engage with GLOBE Trees and other biosphere protocols.
| | Cross-Regional Initiative | |
Buzz Around the World: A GLOBE Cross-Regional Mosquito Initiative
Country Coordinators from Africa and Asia & Pacific invite participants from all GLOBE regions to join the Buzz Around the World: A GLOBE Cross-Regional Mosquito Initiative.
This initiative engages participants in investigating mosquitoes in a changing environment through local observations using the Mosquito Habitat Mapper in the GLOBE Observer app. Participants will explore mosquito habitats, investigate associated environmental conditions, connect findings to scientific research and local priorities, and identify opportunities for community action.
Virtual Launch Event: 12 November, 9 am ET (14:00 UTC)
The virtual launch event will introduce the initiative, explore why mosquito research matters, and provide a refresher on using the Mosquito Habitat Mapper. Additional events will be offered throughout the initiative to support participants and encourage continued engagement. Register.
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Europe and Eurasia
Stars Story
GLOBE Croatia: How Trees Inspire Scientific Discovery at Dubovac Primary School | At Dubovac Primary School in Croatia, the Trees Around the GLOBE campaign has inspired students to take science beyond the classroom, measuring hundreds of trees, investigating the carbon cycle, and exploring connections between trees and air quality.
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Stay tuned for details on additional regional initiatives launching over the next few months!
Find more events and opportunities on the Events page of the GLOBE website. Read Stars Stories under News and Events. Have a GLOBE story to share? Submit a Stars Story!
| | GLOBE Website Learning and Support Sessions | | |
Join the GLOBE Website Learning and Support Sessions for friendly, practical support with the GLOBE.gov website. These informal Zoom sessions are designed for anyone in the GLOBE community with questions about the website, account changes, or other technical issues. Each session will include a short 10- to 15-minute tips-and-tricks spotlight, followed by time for questions, troubleshooting, and shared problem-solving.
Upcoming Sessions
There will be no November webinar. We will post information about our December event once scheduled on our Events page.
Most Recent Recordings
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My Observations+ and Data Access | This October session featured a walkthrough of My Observations+ (the replacement for My Pages), including how to find observation history, submit and access your data, and understand what information remains available.
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Account Creation | This September session began with a quick overview of the updated GLOBE.gov account-creation process followed by a discussion led by the GLOBE Implementation Office community support team addressing attendees’ questions or technical issues with the website.
| 2 Million Satellite Matches by April 2027 |
1,801,224 Satellite Matches to Date!
When you submit Clouds and Land Cover observations via the GLOBE Observer app that align with satellite flyovers, you receive an email from NASA containing satellite data that correspond to the data you submitted.
Help us reach our goal of 2 million satellite matches by April 2027 by making an observation today. To date, NASA has made 1,801,224 matches (24,698 since the September News Brief)! Only 198,776 matches to go...
| | Additional News and Information | |
New GLOBE Publication
The 2025 Aviation Weather Mission: Cadet Engagement and Evaluation Results
2026, Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society
Authors: Marilé Colón Robles, Ashlee M. Autore, Matthew Nyman, Heather Fischer, Shannon Babb, Roman Vitanza, Jessica E. Taylor, Kristen Weaver, Holli Kohl, Tina Rogerson, and Theresa Schwerin.
The 2025 Aviation Weather mission was a collaboration between NASA and the Civil Air Patrol. Using the GLOBE Observer app, over 3,000 volunteers across 42 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., monitored the skies making aviation-related weather observations, tracking airplanes, and collecting ground-based information on airplanes and contrails.
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Upcoming My NASA Data Events
Are you interested in using authentic NASA Earth and/or environmental data to engage students with scientific practices and enhance their data literacy? Consider registering for the upcoming My NASA Data webinars.
Upcoming Webinars
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Mapping Earth Science Data with My NASA Data | 3 November at 7 pm ET (4 November, 00:00 UTC)
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Time Series Graphs with My NASA Data | 1 December at 7 pm ET (2 December, 00:00 UTC)
Learn more and register.
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Reminders
Help Improve the GLOBE Observer App!
The GLOBE Observer app will be redesigned in the coming year, and we are collecting suggestions on how to improve it.
While we will not be able to implement all your ideas due to budget and time constraints, we hope to improve the app with your input. Submit your idea(s) today! Thank you to everyone who has already submitted suggestions.
GLOBE International STEM Network (GISN)
If you're not already a member, the GISN welcomes scientists and STEM professionals to increase participation across all six GLOBE regions. Visit the GISN webpage to learn more and apply for membership.
Submit Your GLOBE Publications
GLOBE data have been used in many scholarly works, including theses, dissertations, and peer-reviewed papers. Submit your GLOBE publication(s) and browse the collection of recent and past submissions.
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