Station operation and allocation of responsibility

German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD) of DLR

The German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD) and the Remote Sensing Technology Institute (IMF) together comprise the Earth Observation Center (EOC). This cluster of institutes of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is the leading national research and development organization in the field of earth observation. DFD acquires data from numerous national, European, and other international satellite missions worldwide. The payload ground segment necessary for data reception includes antenna facilities in Neustrelitz and Oberpfaffenhofen as well as an international network of receiving stations, among others on the Antarctic Peninsula (GARS O’Higgins Station), in the Arctic (Inuvik Station in northern Canada) and in Mexico (Chetumal Station). These stations have been designed for multimission operation and are also available for the campaigns and operational tasks of European and other international missions.

Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG)

The many responsibilities of the Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy (BKG) include providing geodetic reference data and basic spatial data for federal agencies, public administrative offices, private enterprises, scientists, and the general public. It maintains a service centre and geodetic observatories (Wettzell in the Bavarian Forest, O’Higgins in Antarctica, La Plata in Argentina). The product range includes geodata, maps, publications, reference systems and information services. Beyond Germany’s borders, BKG contributes to the establishment of a European and global geodata Infrastructure in close cooperation with European and international partners.