SOLAR SYSTEM OPEN DATA

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 PDS Achievements: Over nearly 30 years, PDS has evolved from a solution to prevent planetary data loss into a critical, global data archiving system. The shift from PDS3 to PDS4 represents a major leap, introducing a flexible, metadata-rich, and service-oriented architecture. 

1. User Needs and Expectations: There is a growing mismatch between what users expect and what PDS currently provides. Many seek interactive, intuitive access, including visualization and analysis tools​.
    
2. Data Discoverability: Users face difficulties locating relevant data due to limitations in search tools. There is a call for better search integration across archives​.
    
3. Data Usability:
    
   • Legacy PDS3 archives lack metadata needed for modern discovery.
      
   • Training and accessible documentation for PDS4 are limited.
      

1. Tooling and File Formats: There’s a need for more robust software to convert, visualize, and process data formats, including transitions between coordinate systems​.
    
2. Online Processing: Users want online services for previewing, filtering, and analyzing data without requiring local downloads.
    
3. Scale and Complexity: The exponential growth in mission data—now exceeding 1 petabyte—demands scalable infrastructure and automation​.
    
4. Governance: Current organizational structures need modernization to support improved communication, cross-discipline collaboration, and alignment with NASA's evolving mission objectives​.

• Expand Search and Discovery Tools: Improve metadata quality, implement federated search, and support semantic discovery techniques.
   
• Enhance Usability:
   
  • Provide training and documentation tailored to various user levels.
     
  • Support translation tools for broader accessibility.
     
• Leverage PDS4: Its architecture enables interoperability, supports big data strategies, and offers extensibility for international collaboration​.
   
• Develop a Scalable Data Ecosystem:
   
  • Automate data ingestion and tracking.
     
  • Implement flexible, cloud-ready data services.
     
  • Support distributed, user-driven analysis.
     
• Promote International Collaboration: Through the International Planetary Data Alliance (IPDA), extend PDS services to global partners.

The Roadmap envisions transitioning PDS from a data archiving system to a planetary knowledge base—a dynamic, interactive environment for research, exploration planning, and public engagement. PDS should evolve to support FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles and provide high-value tools and services for a broad user base​.