As we close our second year of NASA Lifelines, we are struck by how much our community has grown and how connected, courageous, and creative it has become. The heart of NASA Lifelines is an inspiring network of scientists, humanitarians, technologists, and advocates united by a shared belief: that Earth observation and satellite data can and should serve humanity.
This year, our programs reached new heights. Across continents and disciplines, our members co-created tools, research, and insights that are already improving decision-making in crises and resilience planning alike. We saw hundreds of new members join the community, from early-career researchers to local responders to policy advisors, each bringing a critical perspective to this collective effort to make space data more useful, trusted, and impactful.
And yet, 2025 has been a turbulent year for humanitarians and scientists alike. From conflicts to climate emergencies to dramatic budget cuts, the challenges facing our world have tested every system we rely on. But rather than fracture, our community rallied. We witnessed acts of collaboration and care that remind us why this work matters. That behind the data and decisions, we are all people who deserve dignity and hope.
As we enter our third year, we do so with pragmatic optimism. We know the systems we inherit are imperfect, but we also know they can be reimagined. From space, we gain perspective: how borders blur, how fragile and interconnected our world truly is. With each other, we can persist and cultivate innovation grounded in empathy. Together, we can transform even the hardest challenges into opportunities for change.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Here’s to another year of imagining and building the systems that humanity deserves.
With gratitude and determination,
The NASA Lifelines Team
As we close Year 2 of NASA Lifelines, I want to thank you for what you’ve built. Lifelines started as a seed of an idea and continues to grow because people across disciplines choose to work together: humanitarian responders, Earth scientists, technologists, students, policy advisors, funders, and advocates who believe satellite data should be more usable, more trusted, and more relevant in moments that matter.
This year, the Lifelines community helped strengthen decision-making in crises – through technical guidance via the Earth Science Review Board,relationship-building through Supper Clubs and Speed Dating, and concrete support for teams scaling pilots through Ready for Impact.
Year 2 also unfolded in a difficult context. Humanitarian needs continued to rise. Many of you faced constraints on time, capacity, access to data, and shifting budgets. Across communities we saw people who kept showing up for each other: offering candid feedback, sharing hard-won lessons, and making space for collaboration across geography and lived experience.
As we look toward Year 3, I know Lifelines will continue strengthening community-led learning, cross-sector partnerships, building shared resources, and scaling ideas from concept to practice.
Thank you for your time, your curiosity, and your care for the people behind the data.
Warmly,
Shanna McClain
NASA Disasters Program Manager
This was a year of refining our programs, growing our network, and proving what’s possible when scientists, humanitarians, and innovators work side-by- side. In our second year, we saw what it means to be part of a living, learning community that shares knowledge, supports one another, and turns ideas into action.
The year ahead will build on that foundation, with a renewed commitment to our community and to the shared belief that satellite technology has never been more important. In a world facing overlapping crises, we must use the assets we already have, work together across disciplines and borders, and apply technology for the world’s most pressing issues.
We’re entering this next chapter with a focus on sustainability—of systems, partnerships, and impact. That means expanding collaborations like our new partnership with Twilio.org, which will help us scale our work in Colombia and bring NASA Lifelines to new audiences who can put Earth data to use in service of humanity. It also means supporting our community as they lead and innovate as they pilot new methods, form unlikely alliances, and bring Earth observation into the hands of those making real-world impact every day. Their creativity and persistence continue to define what NASA Lifelines stands for.
As we look ahead, we’re excited to keep growing this vital community and realizing even greater humanitarian impact with satellite data and each other on our side.
Connect with us. Help us shape what comes next. Because together, we can ensure that the view from space continues to serve those who need it most.
