Data access

Data access

Who can access the data

The Hub is open to everyone, particularly those who are interested in Earth observation products for:

  • analysis
  • building applications and services
  • extracting information
  • visual references

Hub Portal

With the release of the new version of the Hub, a new web portal based on GSS Vision will become the main access point for the new Hub’s archive of Sentinel-1, -2, -3 and -5P data. As with the previous SARA system, the interface provides an intuitive map-based data search, download capability and an Application Program Interface (API) for advanced user interaction. Note that you must register with the new portal before data can be downloaded.

The data is supplied in the European Space Agency’s (ESA) SENTINEL-SAFE format in zip archives whilst Sentinel-5P data is provided in NetCDF format. Each zip file also contains the product metadata.

Documentation on the new OData APIs can be found in the new portal user guide. General documentation on OData API’s can be found on the ESA Documentation Portal.

A command line tool and Python library compatible with the new Hub platform has been developed and is available here.

IMPORTANT: The new Hub platform will change the folder structure where new products can be found. If you currently access Hub products directly from the NCI THREDDS filesystem, the migration will impact workflow scripts that rely on predicting where new products are located. Recommended access is via the new OData APIs and/or the PyGSSearch library.

For more information, see Copernicus Australasia Portal User Guide (v 0.1).

Sentinel Australasia Regional Access (SARA)

Note: SARA currently provides access to the Hub’s Sentinel-1, -2 and -3 data while the archive is migrated to the new GSS system. Once the migration has been completed, SARA will be decommissioned.

The SARA interface provides an intuitive map-based data search, download capability and a Python Application Program Interface (API) for advanced user interaction. Sentinel-5P data is not available via SARA. If you are a registered NCI user, you can also access the Hub data through the NCI THREDDS server and file system. The user community has contributed client-side code including a Python command line tool that enables the server to be searched by date range and geographic region, and restricted by sensor-specific attributes.

For more information, see Copernicus Australasia Training Material [PDF 11.7 MB].

Helpful tools and information

ESA's Science Toolbox Exploitation Platform

ESA provides open source toolboxes for visualisation, analysis and processing of the Sentinel data.

See Science Toolbox Exploitation Platform.

Sentinel user guides

For a high level description of the instruments, coverage and acquisition, and available product levels, see the Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 user guides.

For satellite program information, see the Sentinel Overview.

You can also find further information in the Hub user guide.

Need help?

If you experience any problems with SARA or NCI THREDDS access, contact help@nci.org.au.