Short answers, pulled from the story.
The year 1999 marked the birth of a new digital window into our planet when NASA Earth Observatory opened its doors. This launch provided public access to images showing climate and environmental changes from orbit.
Administrative oversight for the project resides at Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. The website operates under the umbrella of the EOS Project Science Office which manages the Earth Observing System program.
Public money funds the operations of the NASA Earth Observatory through United States Congress authorization. This legislative backing allows the project to use taxpayer dollars for its maintenance and development without charging subscription fees.
The online publication has received three Webby People's Voice Awards in Education. These honors came from voters who recognized the educational value of the website's content over several years of operation.
A series of high-profile images appeared on the site during 2008 including clouds streaming across the Caspian Sea and dust storms off the coast of Morocco. The crumbling of the Wilkins Ice Shelf and Hurricane Bertha also made an appearance showing massive scale tropical weather systems.