CATALYST, a PCI Geomatics Enterprise Inc. brand and veteran in the Earth observation industry, announced today that its Normalized Radar Backscatter (NRB) product has met all required standards and has been officially recognized as Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) compliant.
This achievement underscores CATALYST’s collaboration with major space agencies, including JAXA and NASA, in advancing analysis-ready data (ARD), aligning with CEOS’ efforts in biodiversity monitoring.
CATALYST has also initiated the peer review process to gain CEOS compliance for its Surface Reflectance product family specification, further expanding commitment to data quality and standardization.
With over 40 years of experience in image processing and data integration, CATALYST has developed advanced ARD processing pipelines for both multispectral optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites.
These innovations are especially timely as the industry experiences increasing demand for multi-temporal data extraction and the integration of big data and AI in Earth observation.
“We’re proud to be at the forefront of ARD technology,” states Kevin Jones, Vice President of Product. “Our sensor-agnostic approach to ARD production aligns with CEOS’ mission to standardize and ensure the quality of Earth observation data, supporting critical research and scientific efforts to address the impacts of climate change.”
Partnering with CEOS to achieve these certifications allows CATALYST to highlight the increasing importance and value of multi-temporal analysis. In today’s data-driven world, standards are more critical than ever, ensuring that individuals, businesses, and space agencies can rely on data to deliver scientifically validated insights.
PCI Geomatics, through CATALYST, is leading this growing market by becoming the first commercial entity to offer sensor-agnostic ARD product generation capabilities that meet CEOS compliance standards.
"Commercialization in the space sector are key to accelerating innovation, expanding access, and driving sustainable growth.” says Dr Paul Bate, CEO, UK Space Agency and Chairman of CEOS.
“By fostering collaboration between private enterprises and governmental space agencies, we can unlock new technologies, create jobs and make space more accessible. Strong partnerships between industry leaders like CATALYST and CEOS, fuel this competitive environment by reducing costs, multiplying opportunities and making breakthroughs happen faster."
CATALYST remains an industry leader, recognizing the pivotal role CEOS plays in defining global Earth observation data standards. This achievement also reflects the powerful collaboration between CEOS and space agencies, like the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), which supported CATALYST in advancing its scientific capabilities.
CATALYST’s expertise remains sought after by other agencies, including the South African National Space Agency (Sansa), during the development of the SPOT ARD workflow, further showcasing CATALYST’s commitment to driving innovation in Earth observation technologies across both public and commercial sectors.