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Background

NASA supports users requesting archived data as well as new acquisitions provided through NGA's NextView license. Per agreement with NGA, NASA researchers can only access certain datasets via the Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition (CSDA) program. Other agencies may still need to access data such as Maxar through NGA-provided interfaces. All users who request products via NASA's CSDA program are vetted to ensure they are legitimate and understand the license restrictions. NASA's commercial archive is being moved to the cloud. Specific information can be found on CSDA's website linked below.

Status

NGA, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and NASA support the Polar Geospatial Center (PGC) at the University of Minnesota to produce Digital Elevation Model (DEM) elevation products (ArcticDEM and EarthDEM) generated from Worldview stereo imagery for United States (U.S.) Government use with NGA’s NextView license. CSDA augmented PGC’s processing capability to improve DEM generation in regions with vegetation and is striving to improve data distribution of EarthDEM via NASA’s Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Earthdata Cloud. NASA is also providing Amazon Web Service (AWS) storage for EarthDEM’s 50 cm products (~6 PB of data).

Solution Characteristics

Thematic Areas
Atmospheric Composition, Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems, Disaster Response, Earth Surface and Interior, 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 will enable new opportunities for research and applications across thematic areas.

Solution Resources

Need help using this solution? SNWG's 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 Maxar data. For more information about accessing commercial data, visit the CSDA Program and the CSDA Smallsat Data Explorer.

 

Training Resources

TopicResourceDescription
Fundamentals of Remote SensingWhat 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's Interagency Implementation and Advanced Concepts Team (IMPACT) providing an overview of satellite remote sensing
Satellite Imagery BasicsMaxar's resources for learning the foundational aspects of satellite imagery
Fundamentals of Remote SensingNASA Applied Remote Sensing Training (ARSET) training that provides a background on remote sensing
TopicResourceDescription
Missions & InstrumentsWorldView-1 Data SheetTechnical specifications of WorldView-1 including items such as launch and orbit information
WorldView-2 Data SheetTechnical specifications of WorldView-2 including items such as launch and orbit information
WorldView-3 Data SheetTechnical specifications of WorldView-3 including items such as launch and orbit information
WorldView-4 Data SheetTechnical specifications of WorldView-4 including items such as launch and orbit information
WorldView SeriesAn overview of the WorldView series including links to find out more information about the WorldView mission
TopicResourceDescription
Data Products and DescriptionsMaxar Product OverviewOverview of data products available through Maxar
View-Ready (2A) ImageryOverview and data product specifications for Maxar's view-ready imagery data
Analysis Ready DataOverview and data product specifications for Maxar's analysis ready data
ESA WorldView Data ProductsWorldView data products available through the European Space Agency (ESA)
TopicResourceDescription
Data Access and Code ExamplesCSDA Smallsat Data ExplorerTools for searching and accessing commercial Smallsat data acquired by NASA
CSDA Vendor - MaxarInformation about accessing Maxar high-resolution satellite data through NASA
Maxar - Archive Search & DiscoveryMaxar's search and discovery tool for viewing available data
Sentinel Hub WorldView Data AccessSource provides instructions for acquiring WorldView data access through Sentinel Hub
Maxar SecureWatchMaxar's on-demand imagery access
CSDA Commercial DatasetsInformation about accessing commercial data products through CSDA
TopicResourceDescription
Use Case and Application ExamplesMaxar Product Use CasesGovernment and commercial applications of Maxar products
WorldView-3 Satellite Maps Methane Plumes at Very High Spatial ResolutionApplication example using WorldView-3 to map methane plumes
New in CSDA: High Resolution Digital Elevation ModelsCSDA and the Polar Geospatial Center's application of Maxar imagery to create high-resolution DEMs
Coastal Wetland Shoreline Change MonitoringApplication example using WorldView satellite imagery to monitor shoreline change in coastal wetlands
Counting Trees in Africa's DrylandsApplication example using Maxar imagery to count trees in Africa's drylands
CSDA Publications and FindingsPublished research incorporating CSDA-distributed data 

 

Workshops and Open Meetings

Title and Registration LinkDescriptionDate
NASA's CSDA Program Vendor Focus - Maxar
NASA's Earth Science Division (ESD) established the Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition (CSDA) program to explore the potential of commercial satellite data in advancing the agency's Earth science research and application objectives. The program aims to identify, assess, and acquire data from commercial providers, which may offer a cost-effective means of supplementing Earth observations collected by NASA, other U.S. Government agencies, and international collaborators.
 
During this NASA CSDA program vendor webinar, speakers will introduce Maxar and the company's constellations of Earth observation satellites; show participants how to discover, access, and work with these data; and speak to how these data products complement NASA Earth science data holdings for research and applications. Additional topics will focus on services available to data users and getting assistance with the NASA CSDA program's Maxar datasets, services, and tools.
October 23, 2024
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 SmallSat Data Acquisition Program Activities.