Increasing Discoverability Across Planetary Science Data Archives

The NASA Planetary Data System (PDS) captures, archives, and distributes data from robotic exploration of the solar system. In supporting this mission, it has developed an innovative architectural approach called "PDS4" to support the highly diverse set of heterogeneous data from over 600 instruments and approximately 1.7 PBs of data. The PDS is implemented as a set of distributed archives with different "nodes" managing repositories for this federated system. To enable this federated approach, the PDS uses an information model to drive configuration of its archive and services, enabling it to evolve as data from the mission evolves, as well as the structure of the PDS. This approach has also enabled the PDS to work with and share its standards and architectures with the international community though the International Planetary Data Alliance (IPDA).

The development of PDS4 has not only focused on the construction of compatible archives, but also on increasing access and use of the data in the big data era. As the PDS looks forward, there is an immense opportunity to develop expanded PDS4 data services and standards to increase access, discoverability, and usability of planetary data archives across the PDS and with international partners. The PDS is currently developing a long-term plan for such services. In doing this, the PDS will lay the foundation for adopting even more capability to support new computing paradigms around data-driven discovery and the construction of an international planetary data ecosystem, enabling access, use, and analysis of data across not only NASA, but with international agency archives.

The PDS, and its international partners through the IPDA, will be in booth 233 for extended discussions on its future direction.