NASA’s Low-Cost, Open-Source Instruments Empowering Workforce Development and Community Science

Mike Taylor presented STELLA (Science and Technology Education for Land/Life Assessment) at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2025, showcasing NASA’s innovative approach to democratizing remote sensing technology. The poster demonstrated how NASA Goddard Space Flight Center scientists have created affordable (~$200) instruments that teach the same fundamental remote sensing principles used in advanced remote sensing satellites. Taylor’s presentation highlighted STELLA’s critical role in building America’s technical workforce while explicitly showing why continued investment in cutting-edge space technology remains essential for maintaining leadership in Earth observation and space exploration. Featured in the MacGyver Session, which celebrates novel, self-made, and improved sensor solutions that contribute to citizen and community science, the presentation illustrated how accessible instruments can inspire the next generation of space scientists and engineers while creating clear pathways to NASA’s future workforce.

Presentation Details:

• Presenter: Mike Taylor
• Session: SY31D – The MacGyver Session
• Date & Time: Wednesday, December 17, 2025 | 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM CST
• Location: New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
• Format: In-person poster presentation
• Abstract ID: 1858474