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From the Office of the Chief Science Data Officer, NASA’s Science Cloud is a unified, multi-cloud infrastructure dedicated to empowering the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) with access to cutting-edge commercial cloud resources. By managing the complexities of cloud compliance and infrastructure, we provide SMD teams with rapid, secure access to modern computing environments, allowing them to focus on what matters most: the science.

Sweeping across Scotland and Ireland, the clouds form a series of ripples that look just like waves hitting the shoreline.
 

How the Science Cloud Began

The vision for the Science Cloud originated in SMD’s 2018 Strategy for Data Management and Computing for Groundbreaking Science, which identified cloud technology as central to supporting future missions. To execute this vision, the Core Data and Computing Services (CDCS) Program Element was established within the Office of the Chief Science Data Officer (OCSDO).

Following a 2022 study confirming the need for a flexible, hybrid architecture to better support modern data science (including AI/ML), the Science Cloud Infrastructure Project (SCIP) was established at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), with the mission to develop and operate a secure, scalable cloud foundation tailored specifically for NASA’s science divisions.

 

Unifying the Cloud Landscape

For years, NASA science workloads operated across disconnected cloud environments. A major pillar of our mission is uniting these cloud environments into a single, cohesive platform optimized for science. This reduces duplicated effort, centralizes security and cost visibility, and allows us to offer cutting-edge services to all SMD projects.

As part of this ongoing effort, we are working with the following teams to create a united cloud infrastructure for NASA science:

  • Science Managed Cloud Environment (SMCE): All SMCE workloads were successfully migrated into the unified Science Cloud in Fall 2025.
  • Mission Cloud Platform (MCP): We are transitioning science projects from the MCP to the Science Cloud. This frees up MCP capacity for core mission work while equipping science teams with tools optimized for their specific workflows.

  • Earthdata Cloud (EDC): We are partnering closely with the EDC team to align our cloud strategies and ensure seamless integration.

     

Moving Forward: From Foundation to Optimization

Now that our foundation is built, the Science Cloud is focused on optimizing the cloud environment to support diverse project needs, as well as rolling out new tools to drive open science. The goal is simple: to make interdisciplinary science faster, easier, and more globally accessible. In doing so, we aim to empower the next generation of NASA missions to expand human knowledge through scientific discovery.

FISMA-Low and Moderate cloud environments are now available for use for NASA-funded projects. Reach the Science Cloud team at support@sciencecloud.nasa.gov to get started.