Information Technology Department

Managing large volumes of Earth Observation (EO) data during their lifecycle is the main task of the Information Technology department. Its core competencies lie in developing and operating complex information technology infrastructures and systems used in sophisticated remote sensing missions and application projects. Across projects and departments, the department's spectrum of activities encompasses:

  • Earth observation data and information management including long-term preservation
  • User information services and geodata access
  • IT management and IT engineering
  • Quality management and project support
Earth Observation value-adding chain
Big Data management along the value-adding chain at the DLR Earth Observation Center. From Earth observation data reception to publishing actionable environmental information products.
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The department's EO data management services have been at the core of numerous national and international Earth observation missions’ ground segments, such as the national missions TerraSAR-X, TanDEM-X, and EnMAP or the Sentinel missions of the European Earth observation program Copernicus.

In recent years, EO mission payload data ground segments (PDGS) are increasingly being operated on online platforms in high-performance computing (HPC) and cloud environments. The department contributes to shaping this paradigm shift by developing novel data management technologies.

In parallel, scientific use of EO data is increasingly shifting towards big data analytics on federated high-performance and cloud-based platforms. Building on its extensive expertise, the department develops innovative systems based on state-of-the-art technologies for managing EO data on high-performance infrastructures, e.g. for the EO analytics platform terrabyte, a contribution to the network of federated European EO data ecosystems.

The Information Technology department collaborates with nearly 40 industrial and institutional partners. Staff members participate in working groups of ESA, the European Commission, and the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) where they contribute to shaping the future of EO data management.

The department is divided into the following working groups:

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Contact

Eberhard Mikusch

Head of Department
German Aerospace Center (DLR)
German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD)
Information Technology
Oberpfaffenhofen, 82234 Weßling
Tel: +49 8153 28-2721