A.2 Purpose

CEOS coordinates civil spaceborne observations of Earth. Participating agencies strive to address critical scientific questions and to avoid planning satellite missions which overlap each other unnecessarily.

CEOS has three primary objectives in pursuing this goal:

— To optimise benefits of spaceborne Earth observations through cooperation of its members in mission planning and in development of compatible data products, formats, services, applications and policies;

— To serve as a focal point for international coordination of space-related Earth observation activities;

— To exchange policy and technical information to encourage complementarity and compatibility of observation and data-exchange systems.

A.3 Participants

Members: Governmental organisations that are international or national in nature and are responsible for a civil spaceborne Earth observation programme that is currently operating or has reached Phase-B or its equivalent stage of system development, are eligible for membership in CEOS.

Associates: CEOS Associates are either:

— Governmental organisations that are international or national in nature and currently have a civil space-segment activity in Phase-A/pre-Phase-A, or an equivalent stage of system development, or a significant ground segment activity that supports CEOS objectives; or

— Other existing satellite coordination groups and scientific or governmental bodies that are international in nature and currently have a significant programmatic activity that supports CEOS objectives.

A.6 CEOS Working Groups

Working Group on Calibration and Validation (WGCV): The objectives of the WGCV are to enhance coordination and complementarity, to promote international cooperation, and to focus activities in the calibration and validation of Earth observations for the benefit of CEOS members and the international user community. WGCV addresses sensor-specific calibration/validation and geophysical parameter/ derived products validation. WGCV meets approximately every nine months.

The subgroups of WGCV are as follows:

— The Infrared and Visible Optical Sensors Subgroup;

— The Microwave Sensors Subgroup;

— The SAR Subgroup;

— The Terrain Mapping Subgroup;

— The Land Product Validation Subgroup;

— The Atmospheric Chemistry Subgroup

ceos.org/wgcv


Working Group on Information Systems and Services (WGISS): The objective of WGISS is to facilitate data and information management and services for users and data providers in dealing with global, regional, and local issues. In particular, it addresses the capture, description, processing, access, retrieval, utilisation, maintenance and exchange of spaceborne Earth
observation data and supporting ancillary and auxiliary data and information, enabling improved interoperability and interconnectivity of information systems and services. WGISS meets approximately every six months.

There are two subgroups of WGISS: ‘Technology and Services’, and ‘Projects and Applications’. WGISS also features a number of Interest Groups and Projects:

— The Web Services Interest Group: a forum for exchange of technical information and lessons- learned experience about Web services and other WWW / Internet-related software technologies;

Working Group on Climate (WGClimate): The mandate of this Working Group is to facilitate the implementation and exploitation of Essential Climate Variable time-series through coordination of the existing and substantial activities being undertaken by CEOS member agencies. The Working Group will:

— review and assess, on behalf of CEOS, the generation of Fundamental Climate Data Records and derived Essential Climate Variable climate products supported by Member space agencies, complementary with existing entities and roles;

— contribute to the review of compliance of satellite missions and products with the GCOS Climate Monitoring Principles and with the “Guideline for the Generation of Datasets and Products meeting GCOS Requirements”;

— identify multi-agency implementation teams for each product and review their actions, and ensure that a coherent implementation plan exists for each and every product taking full account of other pertinent international initiatives such as SCOPE-CM and science programmes;

— make recommendations to the above teams and receive recommendations from them, for transmission to CEOS Agency Principals;

— ensure coherence of climate product generation supported by space agencies, including with other relevant international initiatives, in particular SCOPE- CM.

ceos.org/wgclimate

Working Group on Capacity Building and Data Democracy (WGCapD): This WG builds upon the CEOS Data Democracy Initiative in an effort to increase the capacity of institutions in
less-developed countries for effective use of Earth observation data for the benefit of society and to achieve sustainable development. The WGCBDD will focus on and unify CEOS efforts toward providing wider and easier access to Earth observation data, increasing the sharing of software tools such as the use of open source software and open systems interface, increasing data dissemination capabilities, transferring relevant technologies to end users, and providing intensive capacity building, education and training.

Newly established in 2011 as an evolution of the CEOS Working Group on Education, this WG seeks to establish effective coordination and partnership among CEOS agencies and institutions offering education and training in Earth Observation. It will also will work closely with CEOS entities to increase data accessibility, especially in under-served communities.

ceos.org/wgcapd

CEOS Structure.