Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
William Lager

Your daily Earth selfie

North and South America, 10-21-15
A view of the America's from the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite. Each day new images of the Earth will be released as part of its mission.
NASA | NOAA's DSCOVR mission

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

Six months ago, a joint NASA and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration mission launched the Deep Space Climate Observatory satellite, hurtling it into space atop a Falcon 9 rocket.

The mission of DSCOVR, as NASA calls it, is to monitor space weather conditions, such as solar flares, and continuously observe the Earth. The Falcon 9 rocket placed the satellite ahead of us in Earth's orbit of the sun. It faces back towards Earth to maintain a constant, clear view of the sun and the sun-lit side of our planet.

DSCOVR satellite
DSCOVR satellite at NASA Goddard in Greenbelt, Md., waits to be shipped to Cape Canaveral, Fla.
NASA

NASA will release a daily sequence of Earth images on the DSCOVR:EPIC website. They'll span the entire globe, every day, creating a visual archive of the whole Earth.

The satellite itself had a tumultuous journey into space. It was originally built in the late 1990s, but was mothballed in 2001. Eleven years later, the satellite observatory was brought out of storage and refurbished for the DSCOVR mission.