NASA's Applied Sciences Program created the NASA Air Quality Applied Sciences Team (AQAST) in 2011 to serve the needs of air quality managers in the United States. A collaboration of some of the top minds in air quality research, the purpose of AQAST is to use satellite data, models and suborbital platforms on the ground to better inform the study and management of air quality. 

​Each of the 19 current AQAST members has expertise in a variety of fields. They are skilled in using the wide array of earth science tools and data sets available from NASA and other partner agencies, including NPS, NOAA, and the U.S. EPA, as well as 13 other regional, state and local agencies. The team works cohesively to provide data and answer questions for AQAST members and the public. ​ ​ 

AQAST members have the resources to take on and complete quick-turnaround projects, and are committed to responding to the urgent and evolving needs of air quality management. They form smaller, collaborative groups called "Tiger Teams" to pool their backgrounds and address multi-faceted problems.