Data distribution via the internet and availability of IT resources

All the data and products of the Copernicus programme are transmitted via the internet to users and additional distribution nodes. ESA currently operates four internet data access points, so-called hubs:

  • Copernicus Open Access Hub: here users worldwide (over 340,000 are currently registered) can download all Sentinel data available since the start of the missions
  • Collaborative Hub: the access point for national partners in the Copernicus Collaborative Ground Segment
  • International Hub: serves Copernicus' international partners
  • Copernicus Services Hub: from here the Copernicus core services download their Sentinel data.

More information about the hubs can be found via the “Sentinel Data Dashboard” link.

By operating a data hub relay DFD contributes to achieving high data throughput capacity and availability to meet the needs of national partners for Sentinel data.

Progress in information technology requires new thinking, especially because of the huge amounts of data forthcoming from the Copernicus satellites. Even with high-rate networks data transfer takes too long, especially if the intent is to reprocess a complete set of mission data or assess global information collected in long time series. Data hubs, and particularly portals, that make available both data and convenient computer resources (cloud computing) have for several years dominated earth observation data management and applications. Bids for the creation of such Data and Information Access Systems (DIAS) (see link) have been solicited by ESA on behalf of the European Commission. DFD participates in one of them, Mundi Web Services (see link), by providing its expertise in data archiving. The platform makes it possible for users to examine the first Copernicus data sets and their processing in the cloud, and to access additional information products at a marketplace. DFD also had the responsibility to develop and supply the first version of the German Copernicus data platform CODE-DE and to operate it together with industrial partners until early 2020. The current version of CODE-DE can be found via the link CODE-DE - Homepage.

Links