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Satellite Data in the Payload Data Ground Segment: Efficient Management of Earth Observation Data

With their data on the condition of the Earth, satellites offer us insights that go far beyond the information provided by aerial photographs. They enable studies of the Earth's climate (for example, temperature changes, sea level rise or changes in vegetation), weather forecasts, the creation of disaster plans and highly customized map applications. Artificial intelligence (AI) now plays a major role in this, as it helps to efficiently evaluate large amounts of data.

The construction and operation of a satellite for data acquisition is only possible with a high input of resources. It is therefore all the more important that data management in the Payload Data Ground Segment (PDGS) functions reliably and securely at all times.

What matters when handling Payload Data

Payload data handling is a task that usually outlasts an Earth observation mission. Collected payload data must be available far beyond the original lifetime of the satellite platform, for example for monitoring global changes. On the other hand, near-real-time applications require immediate access to valuable data, as in the area of continuous monitoring and management of a hazard situation.

Our services for managing the huge amounts of data include three important aspects that are carried out in the PDGS:

  • Data Processing: In order to provide users with an optimal database for their purposes, it is necessary to process the data into data products using scientific algorithms and incorporating auxiliary data.
  • Data Archiving: The data must be available in the long term. It is therefore important that it is archived securely and can be found at any time.
  • Data Distribution: The large amounts of data must be made available to users efficiently, quickly and with appropriate access rights.

These aspects include data processing, archiving and distribution, as well as generic multi-mission systems with additional functions such as data entry, complex value-added and cross-mission production workflows, ordering of future acquisitions, data subscriptions, near-real-time delivery and online user services.

Werum ensures the quality of your Earth Observation data products

In many missions, we contribute to the reliable management of valuable satellite data. We provide the processing software and software components for access security and process management for the PDGS systems of various satellites and ensure that this software remains executable and secure throughout the entire operating time of the satellite and beyond.

On behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) or the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Werum has developed software for the PDGS systems of European "Sentinel" satellites (e.g. Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-3), the scientific "Earth Explorer" satellites (e.g. SWARM, EarthCARE and Biomass) and satellites from national programmes (e.g. TerraSARX or EnMAP), which is operated by the teams in the ground stations.

Especially for the execution of systematic processing chains on Earth observation data, we offer the Werum EO Processing Service.

Go to EO Processing Service