Tony Janetos and the dawn of earth system science

In the mid-1990s, Tony Janetos, a NASA program scientist, issued a request for information for concepts for observing terrestrial ecosystems. Then, the EOS instruments, still operating today, were in development, but Tony, understanding the gestation for spaceflight, wanted to ensure the community was thinking ahead. Tony, focused on disturbance and abandonment of ecosystems, crafted a “Recovery from Disturbance” mission from the responses, including structural and compositional observations. Today, his concept is implemented through a series of on-orbit and planned missions and will provide ecologists with an unprecedented view of ecological change.