As the European Space Agency prepares for the launch of the FLEX (FLuorescence EXplorer) mission, a set of tools and infrastructures is being developed to support the mission’s scientific and technical activities. One of these tools is the FLEX DISC Collaborative Platform, which is being developed by Terradue under a contract with the Magellium Artal Group.
This platform will support the Data, Innovation and Science Cluster (DISC) in preparing for FLEX by offering a cloud-based environment where researchers and engineers can develop, test, and validate data processors ahead of the mission’s operational phase.
The FLEX DISC (Data, Innovation and Science Cluster) brings together scientists and technical experts from across disciplines to prepare for the successful exploitation of FLEX data. The Collaborative Platform serves as a central tool in this effort, enabling EO professionals to carry out a range of activities from algorithm development and calibration workflows to quality control and data analytics.
Terradue is designing the platform as a cloud-agnostic platform-as-a-service (PaaS) solution that integrates powerful computing environments, interactive tools, and scalable workflows. Users can access a web-based Marketplace to launch environments tailored to their needs backed by containerised infrastructure and on-demand resources.
A Platform to Support Processor Development and Collaboration
The main purpose of the Collaborative Platform is to provide a shared digital environment where teams can work on the development and evaluation of FLEX data processing chains. The platform is designed to support:
- Access to EO data and auxiliary datasets
- Processing and testing tools in reproducible cloud environments
- Collaborative development and sharing of code and results
- Support for supervised, systematic processing activities
These features aim to make it easier for users to work with FLEX-related data and prepare for the validation and exploitation phases once the mission is operational.
Built for the Community: Roles and Capabilities
The Collaborative Platform supports a wide range of users, each with different goals:
- Scientists and researchers can explore EO datasets, run analyses, and visualise data across space and time.
- Algorithm developers can prototype and test new processing methods in an integrated development environment.
- Calibration and validation teams can run pre-defined workflows for systematic analysis of mission data.
- Operators can monitor workflows, manage resources, and ensure the platform is performing reliably.
The platform makes all this possible by offering:
- Access to historical, simulated, and auxiliary EO datasets, including Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-3 collections.
- Tools for interactive data analysis and visualisation, including Jupyter Notebooks and QGIS environments.
- Support for collaborative development, with shared repositories and version control integration.
- Capabilities for systematic processing, where workflows are monitored and configurable by operators.
Enabling Key Use Cases
The platform is purpose-built to support processor development, testing, and validation essential activities in preparing for FLEX data exploitation. Among the supported scenarios:
- A user working on quality control can log in, select FLEX (or relevant EO) data via catalogue APIs, execute visual/statistical checks, and document findings in the same notebook environment.
- A software engineer developing a new algorithm can access a VSCode-based IDE, iterate on the code, test it on sample data, and package the application in a container for deployment.
- A researcher exploring vegetation dynamics can combine datasets, develop analysis scripts in Python, and generate reproducible outputs, integrating spatial and temporal views with ease.
These workflows are not isolated; they can be versioned, shared, reviewed, and improved collaboratively.
Terradue’s Experience in EO Cloud Platforms
With nearly two decades of experience developing EO cloud infrastructures for ESA and the European Commission, Terradue brings deep technical know-how to this initiative. From the Geohazards Exploitation Platform (GEP) to infrastructure supporting the Disaster Charter, Terradue has delivered platforms that combine operational robustness with scientific flexibility.
The FLEX DISC Collaborative Platform builds on this foundation, adopting best practices in cloud-native architecture, container orchestration, and collaborative development. It is designed to evolve with the needs of the user community and support future integration with the wider Copernicus ecosystem.
Looking Ahead
As the FLEX mission approaches launch, the Collaborative Platform will be a critical enabler for the EO community. Terradue is currently integrating specialised data collections, preparing dedicated environments with pre-installed libraries, and supporting early development of processing chains and services.
This effort reflects a broader commitment of Terradue to open science, operational readiness, and community-driven innovation in Earth Observation.
Terradue continues to support this work with technical development, platform operations, and user support activities, in close coordination with Magellium Artal Group and ESA.