The Classification Rules for Satellite Earth Observation Data Products, a recommended national standard formulated with RADI as the lead, was officially approved and issued by AQSIQ and the Standardization Administration of China on December 31, 2015.

This standard classifies satellite earth observation data products by the target characteristics, the detection methods, and the level of data processing, forming a unified classification system for satellite earth observation data products.

The system applies to product classification in the production and management of satellite earth observation data products as well as the provision of relevant services. It is fully compatible to various standards of the same kind currently in wide use in the world.

In the background of economic globalization, application of satellite remote sensing witnessed continuous expansion in China, more and more relevant products and services emerged, and it urgent to set a standard in this regard. For this purpose, RADI researcher GU Xingfa led a team which involved experts from nine domestic institutions in the field. The team conducted top-level design for the standard system of remote sensing data products and services of China, developed a series of relevant standards, created a corresponding technical support system, and published works in this regard.

This document, as a national standard, offers strong support to the development of high-resolution earth observation system, space infrastructure for civil use, and various other major national projects in China, laying solid foundation for us to transform satellite application from experiments to real products and services.

According to Prof. DI Liping, Director of the Center for Spatial Information Science and System, George Mason University, “the suite of standards is comparable with the standards used in NASA but with significant Chinese characteristics and uniqueness”. He also suggested proposing the ISO standards on the basis of this Chinese standard so that the international community may benefit from it.