About Virtual Nebraska

Virtual Nebraska emerged out of the Consortium for the Application of Space Data to Education (CASDE) project which began in September 1995 after Senator Bob Kerrey challenged personnel of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to find a better way to apply NASA's space data holdings to education. CASDE's primary objective is to utilize NASA's legacy of data, information, and technology to stimulate and challenge K-12 students to acquire and use scientific, mathematical, and other skills. Project partners are the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

Virtual Nebraska serves as the prototype state for one of CASDE's key objectives ~ Virtual America. It integrates CASDE data sets, imagery, tutorials, tools and information under one umbrella, thus serving as the mechanism that allows users to browse data without being preoccupied with the nuances of tools and esoteric data formats.

In general, Virtual Nebraska is an on-line archive of satellite imagery and aerial photography that gives users the opportunity to view the State's landscape from unique perspectives (e.g., at infrared or microwave wavelengths). Additionally, this web site offers digital elevation data, learning activities, image-processing tools, historical "looks" at over 600 cities, and examples of how remotely sensed data can be used to solve problems. We encourage you to use Virtual Nebraska to study the State's geography, learn about the history of your city, locate your school, monitor vegetation patterns throughout a growing season, or map the statewide distribution of snow cover in January.