The ocean occupies over 70% of Earth; given its expanse, its interaction with the atmosphere, cryosphere, and solid earth, and the range of processes that occur therein on a continuum of spatial and temporal scales, remotely observing oceanic ecosystems is essential to understand the Earth, its changing climate, and life. The mission of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is to lead innovative and sustainable exploration of Earth, our Sun, the Solar System, and beyond, pushing the boundaries of human expansion, and developing a better understanding of our planet using unique cutting-edge surface-based, airborne, and space observations. The Research and Analysis Program (R&A) within NASA’s Earth Science Division (ESD) works to advance our scientific understanding of Earth as a system and its response to natural and human-induced changes, and to improve our ability to predict climate, weather, and natural hazards. Specifically, R&A’s Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Program supports research focused on aquatic ecosystems, providing critical insights for understanding how the ocean works, from ecosystem function to economic links and resilience to future change as determined by remote sensing, airborne, and surface-based platforms. In addition, the Applied Sciences program, housed within Earth Action – also an element of NASA’s ESD – utilizes NASA’s foundational science and unique observations to enable informed decision making for agriculture, aquaculture, water and food security, and other applications that benefit life on Earth.