Earthdata Login FAQ

What is Earthdata Login?

Read information on Earthdata Login.

Why can't I see the captcha when trying to register for an Earthdata Login?

Unfortunately, some users will experience a fail with the captcha (Google's reCAPTCHA) because some services offered by Google China are blocked by many of the firewalls located in the People's Republic of China. There is currently no workaround for this.

Is the information I give to Earthdata Login really safe?

Yes, absolutely! Earthdata Login is only available through an HTTPS connection, making it difficult for malicious users to steal your password or other private information.

Additionally, all passwords are strongly encrypted, which means that even Earthdata Login administrators do not have the ability to see your password. The rest of your profile information is stored normally – as text that can be read by an administrator – and may be shared with other Earthdata applications as needed. By logging into an EDL-enabled site, you give implicit permission for the site to obtain your information from Earthdata Login.

Finally, only the Earthdata Login system itself gets your password. That means that you'll never enter your password into a site that passes it over the network to Earthdata Login. This ensures that even in trusted communications between EOSDIS systems, your password is never exposed. If you're not sure if you're on a site that uses Earthdata Login, see the section below.

How do I know if my website/application is using Earthdata Login?

If you are already using Earthdata Login to log in to a website or application, and want to know if that site is using Earthdata Login, there are two easy ways to find out:

Click the site or application's "Log in" link or button. If you are taken to a site that says "Earthdata Login" and the address in your web browser starts with "https://urs.earthdata.nasa.gov" then it is using Earthdata Login.

If you don't see the Earthdata Login page and URL, you can also contact the administrators of the site or application. This is the surest way to know if Earthdata Login is being used. Because Earthdata Login does its best to be invisible and stay out of your way as much as possible, you may not see the Earthdata Login login page often, even though your application is using it.

Where can I go to interact with other users and NASA subject matter experts on a variety of Earth science research and applications topics?

Please visit the Earthdata Forum at https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov

I am new to remote sensing and want to find resources to learn about how to obtain and use Earth science data.

Thank you for your interest in NASA Earth science data. You can find more information and training on remote sensing at the following URLs:

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