Lindsey Jacobson, a NASA Pathways intern, is building analytical tools to help the agency anticipate and mitigate potential disruptions in its Earth-observing satellite mission portfolio.
Key facts
- •Lindsey Jacobson is a Pathways intern at NASA Langley Research Center supporting the Earth Science Division.
- •The NESSIE team manages a portfolio of dozens of missions that measure features ranging from cloud cover to sea surface temperature.
- •Jacobson is pursuing a mechanical engineering dissertation at North Carolina State University.
- •The NESSIE team’s work aims to provide senior leadership with strategies to hedge against potential data gaps caused by mission delays or technical issues.
- •Jacobson presented research on managing Earth-observing mission portfolios at the 2025 IEEE Aerospace Conference.
Lindsey Jacobson, a mechanical engineering doctoral student and NASA Pathways intern, is working with the NASA Earth Science Strategic Integration Environment (NESSIE) team to manage risks within the agency's Earth-observing satellite portfolio. Based at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, Jacobson develops analytical tools that allow senior leadership to anticipate mission delays or technical disruptions and prepare contingency strategies to ensure continuous data delivery to scientific and operational communities.
Managing Portfolio Uncertainty
NASA’s Earth-observing missions track critical planetary features, including aerosols, sea levels, and land cover. The NESSIE team, part of the Systems Analysis and Concepts Directorate, focuses on maintaining this data record despite uncertainties regarding mission schedules and operational lifespans. Jacobson’s work involves creating a 'foresight ability' that identifies potential coverage gaps and provides leadership with pre-planned options to mitigate those risks. Jacobson likens this proactive strategy to preparing for hurricane season, where essential resources are positioned in advance to avoid last-minute scrambling. By identifying alternative pathways for meeting end-user needs before disruptions occur, the team aims to keep the complex, interdependent portfolio functioning effectively.
Adapting to a Changing Landscape
The environment for Earth science is evolving as commercial companies and new space agencies contribute data alongside traditional government efforts. Jacobson notes that adapting to these shifts—including the integration of new technologies and AI tools—is a core component of her work at NASA Langley. Her approach is informed by her graduate research at North Carolina State University, which examines how complex infrastructure, such as the electric grid, must be modified and improved over time rather than replaced entirely. Jacobson has participated in the NASA Pathways program since 2022, balancing her internship at Langley with her mechanical engineering dissertation. Her contributions include presenting NESSIE’s portfolio management strategies at the 2025 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Aerospace Conference.
Timeline
- 1994-2004The Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite (GOES-8) was in service.
- 2022Lindsey Jacobson began returning to NASA Langley every summer as a Pathways intern.
- 2025Jacobson presented NESSIE’s work at the IEEE Aerospace Conference.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by NASA Breaking News.
