U.S. National Geodetic Survey

The National Geodetic Survey (NGS) is a United States federal agency based in Washington, D.C. that defines and manages a national coordinate system, providing the foundation for transportation and communication, mapping and charting, and a large number of science and engineering applications.

Since its founding in 1970, it has been part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a division within the Department of Commerce.

[1] NGS is responsible for defining the NSRS and its relationship with the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF).

[3] United States territories on the Pacific, Caribbean, and Mariana plates will have their own respective geodetic datums.

The North American-Pacific Geopotential Datum of 2022 (NAPGD2022) will separately define the height system of the United States and its territories, replacing NAVD88.

[1] It maps changing shorelines in the United States and provides aerial imagery of regions affected by natural disasters, enabling rapid damage assessment by emergency managers and members of the public.