Skip to main content

Background

NASA’s Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition (CSDA) program has provided United States (U.S.) Government-affiliated scientists and funded partners with access to imagery from several commercial observation platforms, including Planet. These constellations of imagers have often provided higher spatial resolution imaging, and greater temporal resolution when clear sky conditions prevail. In 2024, CSDA licensing agreements expanded to broaden the applicability for scientific applications across the U.S. Government and other authorities within the U.S. 

Status

NASA CSDA continues to provide U.S. federal civil agencies, including National Science Foundation (NSF)-affiliated scientists and funded research partners, access to Planet imagery through the current Expanded Planet End User License Agreement (EULA). This provides access for scientific, non-commercial use with a 30-day delay for PlanetScope and RapidEye. NASA does not intend to include SkySat. Planet will provide low-latency imagery with justifications, i.e., disaster response.

Solution Characteristics

PlatformsGeographic DomainThematic Areas
PlanetScope, RapidEyeGlobalAtmospheric Composition, Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems, Disaster Response, Earth Surface and Interior, Infrastructure Products/Other, Land Cover and Land Use Change, Ocean and Cryosphere, Water and Energy Cycle, Weather and Atmospheric Dynamics

Societal Impact

Improved access to data products from commercial systems, reduced latency acquisitions, and improved derivation of new research and operational products would enable new opportunities for research across thematic areas. Planet high-resolution and stereo imagery have many applications including mapping trees and canopy elevation, monitoring land cover characteristics and change, infrastructure, and shoreline change.

Solution Resources

Need help using this solution? The Satellite Needs Working Group's (SNWG) Stakeholder Engagement Program (SEP) curates relevant training resources focused on how to access and use SNWG solutions. For each solution, resources are aggregated into the following categories: Fundamentals of Remote Sensing, Missions and Instruments, Data Products and Descriptions, Data Access and Code Examples, and Use Case and Application Examples. Information on workshops and open meetings are also included. The resources below are for the Broader Access to Planet Data solution. For more information about accessing commercial data, visit the CSDA Program and the CSDA Satellite Data Explorer.

 

Training Resources

TopicResourceDescription
Fundamentals of Remote SensingFundamentals of Remote SensingNASA Applied Remote Sensing Training (ARSET) training that provides a background on remote sensing
What is Remote Sensing?NASA Earthdata's tutorial on remotely sensed data including orbits, sensors, and spatial resolutions
From Pixels to Products: An Overview of Satellite Remote SensingPresentation by Dr. Sundar Christopher at NASA Interagency Implementation and Advanced Concepts Team (IMPACT) providing an overview of satellite remote sensing
TopicResourceDescription
Missions and InstrumentsSkySatPlanet's overview of the SkySat constellation including information about its sensors and data products
SkySat - Earth OnlineSkySat mission and instrument specifications from the European Space Agency
Planet | Insights - Our ConstellationsPlanet's description of their satellite constellations
PlanetScopePlanet's overview of the PlanetScope constellation including information about its sensors and data products
PlanetScope - Earth OnlinePlanetScope mission and instrument specifications from the European Space Agency
TopicResourceDescription
Data Products and DescriptionsSatellite Imagery Products | PlanetPlanet's summary of available products such as the Planet Basemaps and Planet Analytic Feeds
Planet Imagery Product SpecificationsPlanet's imagery product specifications including product attributes and processing information
TopicResourceDescription
Data Access and Code ExamplesCSDA Commercial DatasetsInformation about accessing commercial data products through CSDA
CSDA Vendor - PlanetInformation about accessing Planet data through NASA
Resources for Planet UsersOpen source tools for Planet data users
CSDA Satellite Data Explorer

Tools for searching and accessing commercial satellite data acquired by NASA

TopicResourceDescription
Use Case and Application ExamplesPlanet OverviewPresentation providing an overview of Planet and its potential applications
Planet ResourcesOn-demand webinars and use cases for Planet data
CSDA Publications and FindingsPublished research incorporating CSDA-distributed data 
USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service to Use Planet Basemaps to Support their 2021 Growing Season AssessmentSample application using Planet Basemaps to complete a growing season assessment
Exploring the Use of PlanetScope Data for Particulate Matter Air Quality ResearchSample application using PlanetScope data for air quality research
Assessing within-Field Corn and Soybean Yield Variability from WorldView-3, Planet, Sentinel-2, and Landsat 8 Satellite ImagerySample application using PlanetScope imagery to assess crop yield variability
Automated DEM generation from very-high-resolution Planet SkySat triplet stereo and video imagerySample application generating automated Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) from Planet SkySat imagery

 

Workshops and Open Meetings

Title and Registration LinkDescriptionDate
Introduction to Planet's New 8-Band Data and Access via NASA's Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition (CSDA) ProgramThis Lunch and Learn introduced Planet's 8-band data while providing an overview of Planet's constellations and how to access Planet data.April 7, 2022
Lunch and Learn: NASA's CSDA Program, Subject Matter Experts, June 2, 2022During this Lunch and Learn webinar, subject matter experts assess the quality of data products purchased by CSDA.June 2, 2022

For additional meetings and workshops not found here, refer to Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program Activities.