Decades of science results and new technologies related to measurements of Earth’s Radiation Budget from space and a pathway for continuity of observations

From the late 1950′s International Geophysical Year Earth Radiation Budget (ERB) experiment to the upcoming National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Libera Mission, there has been and will continue to be a steady gain of science results and knowledge of Earth’s Radiation Budget from space. This paper identifies seven key ERB observing periods or Eras with their technologies, satellite observations and examples of significant results. Some of the important science discoveries spanning the multiple Eras include the establishment of Earth’s albedo; the magnitude of poleward energy transport; the total solar irradiance reaching Earth; global cloud radiative effects; and variations of Earth’s energy imbalance, among many others. For the next decades of observational progress, we suggest actions by an International ERB Consortium (IERBC) to plan and implement a small constellation of orbiting ERB and TSI instruments.