About EarthCODE

Modern Earth system science faces complex challenges that demand collaborative, transparent, and reproducible approaches. At the heart of this transformation is the convergence of FAIR principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability), Open Science, and Open Innovation—all of which create unprecedented opportunities for scalable, cross-sector research and decision-making.

To effectively address pressing societal challenges, researchers must be able to work across the entire science lifecycle. This requires modern, powerful, and interoperable infrastructure that can support diverse Earth Observation (EO) data types, facilitate data-intensive workflows, and enable trusted knowledge generation. This infrastructure for open science empower scientists to (1) Access and process satellite and in-situ data in collaborative cloud environments, (2) Develop and publish reusable code and workflows, (3) Validate outputs and share reproducible results, and (4) Collaborate across institutional, disciplinary, and national boundaries.

The Open Science and Innovation Vision outlined in ESA’s Earth Observation Science Strategy (2024) defines eight foundational pillars to achieve this:

1. open research data,
2. open-source scientific code,
3. open access to scientific publications with data and code,
4. standards-based discovery of scientific experiments,
5. reproducible workflows across platforms,
6. accessible education and training on open science,
7. collaborative community practices, and
8. EO business models based on open technologies.

ESA's strategic objective is to foster the development of a culture and practice of openness in EO science, applications and industry, and of a sustainable open innovation ecosystem.

EarthCODE (earthcode.esa.int) is ESA’s strategic initiative to bring this vision to life. Originally starting as a simple repository for datasets from ESA-funded projects, it has since grown into a comprehensive environment that supports the full open science lifecycle—from data and workflow development to publication and community engagement.

What is Open Science? Open Science is just science done right.

Open Science is a movement to make the entire research process more accessible and reproducible, including input data, analysis methods, results, and the dissemination and reception of those results.

The Roadmap

By aligning with FAIR principles and leveraging cloud infrastructure, EarthCODE promotes transparency, reproducibility, and collaboration in Earth System Science. the EarthCODE roadmap helps clarify how this transformation has unfolded—and where the platform is heading next:

Foundations

EarthCODE began as a simple repository for storing and sharing datasets from ESA-funded Earth Observation projects. This created a foundation for structured data access and visibility.

Phase 2 – FAIR Metadata and Open Science Catalog

The Open Science Catalog was introduced, enabling standardized metadata using STAC. This made datasets more discoverable, interoperable, and aligned with FAIR and Open Science principles.

Phase 3 – Platforms Integration and Workflows (Current Phase)

Support for open science infrastructure, reproducible workflows, experiments, and integrated platforms was added. Researchers can now develop, run, and document science projects across the full lifecycle.

Phase 4 – Open Access and Community Engagement

EarthCODE will open to the broader scientific community with tools for publishing, citation, and open access. A growing library of reusable code and workflows will support collaboration.

Phase 5 – Advanced Tools and Cross-Platform Science

The platform will integrate new services and advanced capabilities, including automation, machine learning, and complex analyses. Focus will shift toward reproducibility across platforms.

Ongoing – Continuous Expansion

EarthCODE will continue to grow with new tools, datasets, and community-driven features, reinforcing its mission to support open, FAIR, and impactful Earth science.