Ten rules to increase the usability of earth observation mission datasets

Abstract Publicly-funded Earth Observation (EO) missions present unprecedented challenges and opportunities for observing our changing planet and applying the knowledge gained to benefit society. As EO mission data continue to grow in volume and complexity, a paradigm shift in how we make that data available and engage data users is required to maximize scientific return and societal benefits through decision making, research support, public safety, and resource management. Simply making the data openly available is not enough. Here we present ten rules to help mission planners, funders, data archival organizations, software engineers, and data user communities thoughtfully construct and engage with fully open, collaborative communities, technical infrastructure, software tooling, and educational resources to maximize data usage from EO missions. The rules are motivated and inspired by our experiences within the open science and open-source software communities surrounding NASA’s Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite 2 (ICESat-2) mission. Through (1) open design processes; (2) open infrastructure, software tools, and communities; and (3) community management, leadership, and cultivation, these rules facilitate a co-creation approach to mission design and implementation wherein open development and collaboration are codified. The data provider does not just provide data and tools to the community, but instead designs and builds along with the community it serves. We in the ICESat-2 community have been fortunate to witness the cumulative returns of open communities in the mission ecosystem, and we hope that application of these rules to other missions will increase the usability and societal benefit of other publicly funded EO missions.