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ESA member states approve full and open Sentinel data policy principles
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Sentinel-1
[Copyright 2000-2009 © ESA All rights reserved] |
The member states of the European Space Agency (ESA) recently approved the new principles for the Sentinel Data Policy. These principles establish full and open access to data acquired by the upcoming Sentinel satellite missions.
The Sentinels comprise five new missions being developed by ESA specifically for the operational needs of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security programme (GMES).
GMES is an EC-led initiative to ensure the provision of Earth observation services that are tailored to the needs of users, both public policymakers and citizens, on a sustainable basis. As part of the ESA-led GMES Space Component, which guarantees access to a variety of Earth observation data, ESA and the European Commission (EC) worked together to define the principles and the implementation scheme for the Sentinel Data Policy.
The new data policy ensures free-of-charge access to all Sentinel data as well as the products generated via the Internet by anyone interested in using them, mainly for GMES data use but also for scientific and commercial use. Other access modes and the delivery of additional products will be tailored to specific user requests, but not necessarily within ESA’s remit.
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Sentinel-2
[Copyright 2000-2009 © ESA All rights
reserved] |
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The policy continues the international trend for full and open access to Earth observation data, in line with the intergovernmental Group on Earth Observations (GEO) data sharing principles. Furthermore, it responds directly to the increasing demand for Earth observation data in the context of climate change initiatives and in support of the implementation of environmental policies.
The policy is part of a more overarching GMES data and information policy that aims to strengthen Earth observation markets in Europe, enabling growth and job creation, and to support European research communities.
ESA’s role within GMES is to be the development and procurement agency for the Sentinels and the coordinator for the whole GMES Space Component, including contributions made available by Member States, EUMETSAT and other GMES partners. In addition, ESA is the ad interim operator of some space infrastructure, i.e. Sentinel-1, -2 and the land component of Sentinel-3.
Read more on http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMXK570A2G_environment_0.html
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