China collects 100PB of Earth observation data

BEIJING -- China has collected around 100PB (about 100 million GB) of Earth observation data, according to the Aerospace Information Research Institute (AIR) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

The collected data resources have been used for both free and commercial usage to serve more than 300,000 users, inducing significant social and economic benefits, according to a recent report on China's Earth observation data resources development.

The report was jointly drafted by the national Earth observation data center and the National Science and Technology Infrastructure, both run by the AIR.

China's Earth observation data have attracted global attention, and the country has initially established a service system for global users, the report noted.

Over the past decades, China has sent more than 60 Earth observation satellites and made significant progress in related technologies.