Towards Unifying NASA Earth Science Enterprise-Wide Metadata Around International Standards: Study Results and Recommendations

NASA’s Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) Project assembled a team of data systems and metadata experts to analyze requirements and recommend best approaches for adopting the ISO 19100 series of standards for describing the data and services offered by NASA Earth Science data systems. NASA has recognized the advantages of adopting the ISO 19115 metadata standard for future Earth-observing missions. The Earth Science data centers have also recognized these advantages. The team considered the applicability, limitations, and possible profiles of this standard for the diverse data sets maintained by NASA data centers and missions. The team found compelling reasons for adopting the ISO 19100 standard to help NASA reach its interoperability goals. Achieving full integration will take time. Planning the integration will require resolution of tension between the near-term needs of new missions and heritage systems with large amounts of records using other data models.