The Earth Observation Center (EOC)
The Earth Observation Center (EOC) is an institute alliance at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and comprised of the Remote Sensing Technology Institute (IMF) and the German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD). It is the center of competence for earth observation in Germany.
DFD priorities equally in research using earth observation data to assess land surfaces, the atmosphere and georisks and to provide public crisis information, as well as in developing, engineering, and operating EO data technologies for missions, research and knowledge transfer.
IMF focuses primarily on subjects related to sensor-related algorithm and process development to derive calibrated geoinformation products from sensor measurement data. Using methodologies from physics (scattering theory, wave propagation, spectrometry), digital signal processing, image processing and artificial intelligence we develop the required processors and processing chains.
The primary tasks of EOC are:
- Developing, engineering and operating all the data technology components for earth observation missions, particularly data reception, processing, archiving, ordering and distribution
- Long-term safeguarding of data from national and international missions in the German Satellite Data Archive (D-SDA)
- Systems engineering to design data processors, integration, and routine operations
- Promoting data use by creating innovative and efficient data access points and processing possibilities for in-house scientific applications and for use by external partners
- Developing, continuously producing and analyzing remote sensing-based information products to address issues of global change, climate, planning, health and civil security
- Developing and applying artificial intelligence methodologies in big data analysis, e.g, with machine learning and deep learning
- Developing environmental and crisis-information systems as well as generic components for analysis, situational awareness imagery, and decision support
- Supporting federal and EU authorities, international users and the International Charter Space and Major Disasters through the DFD Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information (ZKI) and the EOC Maritime Safety and Security Laboratories
- Providing and operating optical sensor systems for aerial remote sensing in order to prepare, calibrate and validate satellite sensors and data products
- Operating optical reference and calibration laboratories
- Designing new sensor systems and missions with emphasis on SAR technologies and optical systems in the visible and infrared light ranges (imaging, spectrometric, hyperspectral)
Locations and Structure
EOC is represented at three DLR locations:
Long-Range Goals
The Earth Observation Center has ISO 9001certification.
The Instituts of the Earth Observation Center
Links: