Earth Observing System (EOS) is an ambitious satellite system for long-term observation of our planet Earth. Conducted by
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as the centerpiece of its Earth Science Enterprise (ESE) program, EOS started off in 1998 with the launch of the AM-1 orbiter on June 30, equipped with various instrument systems for studying the Earth's climate. Plans call for the EOS system to be set into final place by 2002 with the launch of four more large
satellites like the AM-1, along with several smaller polar-orbiting and low-inclination satellites. The system is intended to measure a wide range of surface features from space, ranging from tropical rain forests to the polar ice caps to the planet's
overall cloud cover, including the Earth's overall heat balance. Scientists hope that, among other achievements, the program will further help to determine whether the Earth is or is not exhibiting a greenhouse effect through the excessive buildup of carbon dioxide and other such gases.