Commercial Innovation Center (CIC)

We Are Better Together

Our Commercial Innovation Center (CIC) is a first-of-its-kind, online development and test platform that provides a secure, virtual, open ecosystem and test sandbox for developers and researchers. We do it by harnessing the combined powers of commercial remote sensing, unclassified open datasets, cloud technologies, in a secure development ecosystem fueled by new, emerging, and seasoned tools, services and data to create solutions that keep our nation safe. The Riverside Research CIC is the place where commercial subject matter experts come together securely to collaborate and create the best commercial solutions to real world scenarios before they're integrated and deployed in the field.

Together, we win

It’s not as much fun to play in the sandbox by yourself, right? We know from experience that it’s the collective work of many people with diverse experiences and backgrounds that create the most effective solutions. By design, the CIC encourages partnerships, increases data accessibility, integrates app development, and facilitates the creation of transition-ready prototypes. Because of our unique position as a nonprofit in the defense space, we can provide the neutral environment where collaborative innovation thrives. As demonstrated on this video, capitalizing on all commercial sensors available improves our progress towards persistent observation.

Access to rich datasets

Data is the one thing that is guaranteed to continuously grow and change. Technology entrepreneurs’ success revolves around access to these data and developing improved AI and machine learning tools creating integrated and advanced applications for businesses in support of (United States Government) USG needs.

Advanced tools and applications

Advanced tools and applications

Technology innovation in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and augmented and virtual reality present significant entrepreneurial opportunities, yet all require geospatial data for development. Early-stage entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and innovators will now have access to the large datasets that are traditionally only available to large, established industry players. Such datasets are often too costly for early-stage entrepreneurs and researchers to acquire, and even if the datasets are made available, they are often not packaged in a manner that allows innovators to work with the data—they are overwhelmingly unwieldy and non-standardized. The CIC data environment seeks to solve that problem, allowing researchers and entrepreneurs new opportunities for experimentation, testing, and training.

The CIC pairs this data with tools and services to streamline development timelines by ensuring flexible licenses are available for your R&D activities within the CIC ecosystem. As new tools and services become available, we negotiate with the vendors for early and shared access amongst our CIC participants to the latest and greatest capabilities from established vendors in the remote sensing market. This visual shows a few or our early integrators, and as new vendors are integrated, we’ll let the community know!

CIC Data Search and Discovery

Your all-access pass

The CIC supports and enables industry, scientific, academic, and governmental R&D activities by facilitating access to commercial remote sensing data. Riverside Research integrates the hardware, software, processes, data, tools, internet accesses, demonstration capabilities, and other IT infrastructure required to execute CIC participant SIBR projects and meet R&D objectives. Our CIC offers:

  • Exposure to diverse and emerging data and data types for more data scientists
  • Increased interaction between content providers and new application developers; enables cloud-hybrid, multi-INT applications
  • Lowered entry barriers by eliminating the need for a user-developed system
  • Integrated orchestration-to-analysis workflow
  • Timely teaming, technology, and tipping
  • Accelerated access and use of commercial remote sensing solutions and innovation
Right where you want it

Right where you want it

Are you looking for a cloud-hosting environment where you can easily access commercial data for development and test—all from one place to safely develop, load, and test capabilities?

Our trusted, unclassified, virtual development platform provides access to R&D-licensed commercial remote sensing phenomenologies (e.g., EO, radar, IR, RF), connects emerging and established vendors with shared application tools and services, and facilitates GEOINT, MASINT, and Multi-INT research and development. The CIC includes:

  • An ecosystem of commercial data providers (CDPs)
  • A network of application developers
  • Common R&D data and COTS/GOTS tools (e.g., loading, discovery)
  • Common testing data (curated, tagged)
  • Robust DevOps environment
  • Hybrid cloud-ready infrastructure
  • Protected intellectual property and data rights
  • Maturing secure data fabric
CIC mission, vision & values

CIC mission, vision & values

Mission: Provide data scientists and algorithm developers with a virtual development and test platform and access to new and diverse commercial remote sensing data to develop algorithms, tools, and services.

Vision: Work in the Nation’s interest to offer proven expertise and experience in commercial remote sensing to solve problems through innovation, agility, and creative thinking.

Values: Encourage partnerships and connect emerging and established users across USG and industry with shared application tools, services, and diverse commercial constellation data.

Participant Agreements: We offer access to a secure, virtual, cloud-based ecosystem to perform R&D using existing and emerging commercial sources to develop and test algorithms, tools, and services accelerating USG objectives.

Commercial Experts: We offer our commercial experience, data scientists, and phenomenology experts to support efforts using the CIC to perform commercial utility assessments, new sensor development, synthetic data V&V, data value/usability studies, and more.

Products and Services: We offer access to CIC-based products and services such as synthetic data generation, data tagging, AI/ML V&V, data compression, data geo-registration, and more.

Work With the Commercial Innovation Center
Press Inquiries About the CIC

Commercial Innovation in the News

  • Commercial Imagery
  • Satellite Launches
  • EO-MSI
  • SAR
  • HSI
  • RF
  • SSA
Commercial Imagery
Better satellite imagery of the Kilo class (636.3) the discoloured water is most likely the bilge ...

Better satellite imagery of the Kilo class (636.3) the discoloured water is most likely the bilge pump working overtime trying so suck out silt ...

Dec 19,2025
Photo of Prague from space is so detailed you can see staircases, statues, and people

An ESA satellite image captures Prague from space, revealing staircases, statues, and the historic layout of the city like never before.

Dec 19,2025
NOAA Satellites Watch the Winter Solstice Approach | NESDIS

It includes imagery from GOES-16 and GOES-19, which became the new operational GOES East satellite in April 2025. Each of these images were taken at ...

Dec 19,2025
Zenno Awarded German Federal Contract for Next-Generation Satellite Autonomy

... satellite operation software. The project, titled “Autonomous Fuel-Free Agility in Space,” centers on the integration of artificial intelligence ...

Dec 19,2025
PINEAPPLE EXPRESS: satellite imagery shows the atmospheric river extending from ... - Facebook

PINEAPPLE EXPRESS: satellite imagery shows the atmospheric river extending from the Hawaiian Islands to NorCal today! This system move south into.

Dec 19,2025
Rwanda Deploys AI-Powered Geospatial Hub to Transform Agricultural Monitoring

RSA has launched Geo-Hub, a sophisticated digital platform leveraging satellite imagery and AI to monitor the nation's agricultural sector.

Dec 19,2025
The quiet war: What Ukraine taught me about modern conflict | CBC News

I joined HUR (the Ukrainian military intelligence unit designated ... satellite imagery and videos from social media. But beneath the drone's ...

Dec 19,2025
Ukraine launches drone attack on Russian oil tanker in Mediterranean - YouTube

... Kilo-Class Submarine Part of Stern Possibly Missing & Leaking Fluid in New Satellite Imagery! Suchomimus New 182K views · 22:59 · Go to channel ...

Dec 19,2025
Swarms of Satellites Are Photobombing Space Telescopes - Explorersweb »

... image Light streaks on a simulated view of space. Image: NASA. Our ... satellite megaconstellations expand as planned. Others could see more ...

Dec 19,2025
Mystery of Hawaiʻi phytoplankton bloom solved in UH research | University of Hawaii News

When they noticed on satellite imagery that a bloom the size of Minnesota was within range of the expedition, a race was on to investigate. The ...

Dec 19,2025
Warming May Make Tropical Cyclone “Seeds” Riskier for Africa - Eos.org

A satellite image of the west coast of Africa shows a white swirl of clouds beginning An African easterly wave over the coast of western Africa on ...

Dec 19,2025
Let the Water Quality Information Flow with NASA STREAM

NASA's Satellite-based analysis Tool for Rapid Evaluation of Aquatic environMents (STREAM) delivers answers by transforming satellite imagery into ...

Dec 19,2025
AFCON has become too big to ignore: Unpredictability, drama and elite-level stars

AFCON has become too big to ignore: Unpredictability, drama and elite-level stars. A satellite image of the African continent. Maps4media via Getty ...

Dec 19,2025
'No nuclear weapons' focus could revive Iran-US talks, ex-FM says

Satellite images show site activity. Separately, a US-based think tank said satellite imagery shows new activity at Iran's Natanz nuclear site ...

Dec 19,2025
NASA's PExT Payload Completes Communications Demonstrations - Via Satellite

It roamed between NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) system, two SES O3b mPOWER satellites, and InmarsatF1, owned by Viasat. For ...

Dec 19,2025
RSF has burnt and buried tens of thousands of corpses in El Fasher, says Yale report

... Evidence of burning and new presence of white objects collected by satellite imagery in early November. Photo ...

Dec 19,2025
High Winds Fuel Grass Fires, Evacuations, and Road Closures Across Kansas

Some of the fires were visible on satellite imagery, according to the National Weather Service. Wind gusts reached up to 61 mph in the Wichita ...

Dec 19,2025
Seven geospatial breakthroughs reshaping telecom networks (Reader Forum)

But the landscape is evolving: Satellite networks are on the rise, fixed wireless internet is expanding, and demand for hyperlocal insights is growing ...

Dec 19,2025
Recent satellite imagery shows renewed activity at one of Iran's damaged uranium ...

Recent satellite imagery shows renewed activity at one of Iran's damaged uranium enrichment facilities. Iran seen working on nuclear site hit by US.

Dec 19,2025
Africa's cooling opportunity - Sustainable Energy for All | SEforALL

... satellite imagery and AI to provide building footprint data, classification (residential vs. ... satellite data. Faster progress on delivering ...

Dec 19,2025
Satellite Launches
A first, the Navy launches one-way-attack drone from a ship at sea | DefenseScoop

SDA awards $3.5B across 4 contracts for next phase of missile tracking satellites ... (Getty Images). Questions linger after drone attack injures US ...

Dec 19,2025
NASA tests disk-shaped satellites in orbit to push limits of small spacecraft design

NASA's DiskSat mission launched four flat spacecraft to test a new satellite ... Satellites can capture sharper Earth imagery. Communications also ...

Dec 19,2025
NOAA Satellites Watch the Winter Solstice Approach | NESDIS

SWFO-L1 Launch. About. Our Mission · What We Do · Leadership · Our Offices ... The satellite images reveal the terminator, or the shadow line that ...

Dec 19,2025
SpaceX Loses Starlink Satellite, This Space Stock Initiated Overweight

SpaceX loses contact with Starlink satellite ... 12/11/2025 A Relative Strength Rating upgrade for Intuitive Machines Cl A... SpaceX Could Launch ...

Dec 19,2025
Rwanda Deploys AI-Powered Geospatial Hub to Transform Agricultural Monitoring

RSA has launched Geo-Hub, a sophisticated digital platform leveraging satellite imagery and AI to monitor the nation's agricultural sector.

Dec 19,2025
ISRO to launch U.S. satellite on December 24 - The Hindu

The satellite was initially scheduled to be launched on December 15 but was postponed. Published - December 20, 2025 02:00 am IST - Bengaluru: The ...

Dec 19,2025
SDA awards $3.5B across 4 contracts for next phase of missile tracking satellites

More Scoops. (Getty Images). Space Development ... Space Development Agency accelerates launch of first experimental tactical SATCOM satellite.

Dec 19,2025
These 2 companies are teaming up to offer insurance for space debris strikes on satellites

CAS Space's Kinetica-1 rocket launches two technical experiment satellites from ... images of other worlds in our solar system for the first time.

Dec 19,2025
Swarms of Satellites Are Photobombing Space Telescopes - Explorersweb »

Streaks of light from satellites are ruining space images. It will get ... , and others have plans to launch hundreds of thousands of small satellites ...

Dec 19,2025
2025 spaceflight in photos. See images of Blue Origin, SpaceX missions

This photo depicts a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying the latest batch of Amazon's broadband satellites on Dec. 16 to low-Earth orbit ...

Dec 19,2025
Ovzon Secures Satcom Service Order from European Nation - Via Satellite

Imagery and Sensing UK Water Company Hails Transformational ... The satellite service includes the Ovzon-3 satellite, launched in early 2024.

Dec 19,2025
SDA Awards Over $3.5 Billion For Tracking Layer Of Tranche 3 - Via Satellite

Government/Military Rocket Lab Launches Space Test Program S30 Mission With DiskSat Satellite ... Imagery and Sensing UK Water Company Hails ...

Dec 19,2025
SpaceX Exec Tips 'Real' High-Speed Cellular Starlink, With 15K More Satellites | PCMag

... Images via Getty Images). Starlink's direct-to-cell service went from zero ... SpaceX has time to launch these satellites, though, because the ...

Dec 19,2025
Sharjah Sat-2 Testing: Final Phase in Netherlands for CubeSat Launch - Gulf News

... satellite's planned launch in ... The 813 satellite is equipped with multispectral imaging systems capable of capturing high-resolution images.

Dec 19,2025
Airtel Africa and Starlink to offer direct-to-cell satellite services - DCD

The deal will cover Airtel Africa's 173.8 million customers, with plans to launch the service next year. SpaceX satellite. – Getty Images. It builds ...

Dec 19,2025
Watch South Korean startup Innospace attempt its 1st-ever orbital launch today | Space

An Arianespace Vega C rocket launches South Korea's KOMPSAT-7 Earth-observing satellite from ... images of other worlds in our solar system for the ...

Dec 19,2025
Satellite images track Donald Trump's squeeze on Venezuela - Financial Times

... launched a campaign of lethal strikes on boats allegedly carrying drugs. Satellite images and tracking data show a recent build-up of US aircraft ...

Dec 19,2025
Starlink satellite is out of control and 'tumbling' to Earth | The Independent

... Images). Your support helps us to tell the story. Read more. Support Now ... It is one of more than 10,000 satellites that SpaceX has launched for ...

Dec 19,2025
Rocket Report: Russia pledges quick fix for Soyuz launch pad; Ariane 6 aims high

... imaging instruments or high-bandwidth antennas. NASA and the US ... Amazon has contracts to launch satellites on ULA's Atlas V and Vulcan ...

Dec 19,2025
Pentagon's Pizza-Sized DiskSat Satellites Just Hit Orbit With a Radical New Design

Four disc-shaped spacecraft launched from Virginia this week, introducing a novel satellite ... imaging satellites currently operate. Several operators ...

Dec 19,2025
EO-MSI
Starlink satellite is out of control and 'tumbling' to Earth - Yahoo News Canada

More in Science. NASA's Mars Spacecraft Spinning Helplessly After Signal Lost. Futurism. Scientists dove ... “As the world's largest satellite ...

Dec 19,2025
BlackSky Technology (NYSE:BKSY) Trading 10.5% Higher - Still a Buy? - MarketBeat

Founded in 2014 as part of Spaceflight Industries, BlackSky has grown its satellite constellation and analytics capabilities to deliver satellite ...

Dec 19,2025
US Approves $1.01 Billion Tactical Mission Network Sale to Strengthen Taiwan's Defence

BlackSky's Gen-3 Satellite: Space-Based Intelligence With Fastest-Ever Gen-3 Deployment. In a statement on Thursday, Taiwan's defence ministry ...

Dec 19,2025
Starlink satellite is out of control and 'tumbling' to Earth - Yahoo News UK

Scientists dove hundreds of feet into the ocean and found creatures no ... “As the world's largest satellite constellation operator, we are ...

Dec 19,2025
Photo of Prague from space is so detailed you can see staircases, statues, and people

To capture that protected landscape, ESA used the Pléiades Neo constellation, which are commercial satellites operated by Airbus that deliver very ...

Dec 19,2025
TSG JV Receives TAURUS NEO Contract | Joint Forces News

TSG and BAAINBw have signed a contract preparing a production line for a capability enhanced TAURUS NEO stand-off guided missile system.

Dec 19,2025
ESA staff rising by 13% in 2026; Exploration program to assess budget shortfall in Feb

Geospatial constellation operator Satellogic: $90M stock offering provides enough cash for 12 months' operations · Home · Mobility · Ground ...

Dec 19,2025
Spotify Wrapped in Space: The Satellite Industry's 2025 Playlist

Via Satellite asked space industry executives to share their most ... Brian O'Toole, CEO, Blacksky: “Tom Sawyer” by Rush. Carol Craig ...

Dec 19,2025
Rocket Lab launches 4 novel DiskSat satellites for U.S. Space Force, NASA

Rocket Lab launches BlackSky's next Gen-3 satellite on Electron rocket from New Zealand · June 2, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith. The mission will be ...

Dec 19,2025
Let the Water Quality Information Flow with NASA STREAM

Worldview · Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS) · Vertex · Giovanni · Application for Extracting and Exploring Analysis Ready ...

Dec 19,2025
Allen Control to Integrate Bullfrog Weapon System on Key US Army Vehicles

BlackSky Brings Third Gen-3 Satellite Into Service Three Weeks After Launch.

Dec 19,2025
US Approves $136M Stinger Components Sale to NATO - The Defense Post

BlackSky Brings Third Gen-3 Satellite Into Service Three Weeks After Launch. December 18, 2025. The Proteus Mercury satellite · Breakthrough Satellite ...

Dec 19,2025
DRC Copper-Cobalt Expansion: Satellite Analysis Flags Deeper Chinese Influence Over the ...

Study Methods—What Tearline Did. Tearline's team uses open-source Google Earth imagery and commercial Maxar satellite images to track visible changes ...

Dec 19,2025
$39 billion to go: In 1st big commitment after $41B military space budget, German ...

Geospatial constellation operator Satellogic: $90M stock offering provides enough cash for 12 months' operations ... Satellite production will ...

Dec 19,2025
BlackSky's Third Gen-3 Enters Commercial Operations in Just Three Weeks Following Launch

BlackSky Technology Inc. (NYSE: BKSY) successfully integrated its third Gen-3 satellite into commercial operations just three weeks following ...

Dec 19,2025
Starlink Satellite Malfunctions, Ejects Debris Fragments - PCMag

In its tweet, SpaceX added, “As the world's largest satellite constellation ... Legion Go Review · NordVPN Review · Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 Founders ...

Dec 19,2025
3D Printed Satellite Market Set for Rapid Expansion | • - openPR.com

Maxar Technologies. ➤ 3D Printed Satellite Market: Segmental Highlights By Types: Commercial Satellites • Government and Defense Satellites

Dec 19,2025
SAR
Bolivians Protest Fuel Price Hikes After Subsidies Cut - Barron's

Bus drivers took to the streets of the administrative capital La Paz, satellite city of El Alto and eastern economic hub of Santa Cruz to demand the ...

Dec 19,2025
Lockheed Martin clinches $1 billion deal with Space Development Agency for 18 missile ...

The Space Development Agency has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to deliver 18 satellites for its Tranche 3 Tracking Layer constellation, ...

Dec 19,2025
Seraphim's Flagship Holding ICEYE Wins €1.7bn German Defence Satellite Contract

Seraphim Space Investment Trust said its largest portfolio holding, synthetic aperture radar satellite specialist ICEYE, has secured a €1.7 billion ...

Dec 19,2025
Rheinmetall and ICEYE win 1.7 billion euro contract for space reconnaissance

... ICEYE Space Solutions with supplying satellite radar imagery through exclusive access to a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation.

Dec 19,2025
Ovzon Secures Satcom Service Order from European Nation - Via Satellite

Government/Military German Armed Forces Picks Rheinmetall and Iceye for SAR Constellation ... The satellite service includes the Ovzon-3 satellite ...

Dec 19,2025
HawkEye 360 CEO Says ISA Acquisition Will Bolster Hawkeye's Signals Analysis

Government/Military German Armed Forces Picks Rheinmetall and Iceye for SAR Constellation ... constellation of radio frequency (RF)-based Earth ...

Dec 19,2025
Bolivia's largest cities brought to standstill by transportation strike over fuel price hike

... Satellite · Pinpoint Weather App · QC Homegrown · Traffic · Charlotte Airport ... Paz, Bolivia, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025, after President Rodrigo Paz ...

Dec 19,2025
Space Brief 19 Dec 2025 - KeepTrack

Plus, featuring CAPELLA-13 (ACADIA) as our Satellite of the Day. X Report 12 Nov 2024. SpaceX prepares for a monumental sixth ...

Dec 19,2025
Seraphim Space portfolio co ICEYE wins €1.7 billion German defence contract | LSE:SSIT

... (BAAINBw), will see Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions GmbH provide a dedicated synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation.

Dec 19,2025
Trump's latest executive order on space policy - YouTube

... satellite maker Iceye has secured a $1.9 billion contract from the German military. - HawkEye 360 raised $150 million in a new funding round ...

Dec 19,2025
Germany to Monitor Security of its Brigade in Lithuania from Space - Militarnyi

... ICEYE Space Solutions, a joint venture between Rheinmetall and ICEYE. ... Illustration of the ICEYE satellite. Photo credits: ICEYE. As the ...

Dec 19,2025
Resolution of the sole shareholder of Solidium Oy on dividend distribution - STT Info

... ICEYE and General Catalyst partner to redefine space-based intelligence in Europe. ... satellite imaging company: ICEYE and General Catalyst ...

Dec 19,2025
Warming May Make Tropical Cyclone “Seeds” Riskier for Africa - Eos.org

A satellite image of the west coast of Africa shows a white swirl of clouds beginning An African easterly wave over the coast of western Africa on ...

Dec 19,2025
SMALL-CAP WINNERS & LOSERS: Seraphim's ICEYE in deal win | Morningstar

"Under the agreement, the joint venture will deliver full constellation operations, ground station management, and AI-driven image evaluation. The ...

Dec 19,2025
Finnish ICEYE and SSC sign LOI to strengthen Nordic and NATO space-based ISR capabilities

Finnish SAR satellite operator ICEYE and Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) have signed a Letter of Intent to explore deeper collaboration across ...

Dec 19,2025
ICEYE and Rheinmetall Sign €1.7 billion Contract - London Stock Exchange

Under the agreement, the joint venture will deliver full constellation operations, ground station management, and AI-driven image evaluation. The ...

Dec 19,2025
Seraphim Space takes off as Rheinmetall ICEYE wins German defence deal

Espoo, Finland-based ICEYE claims to own "the world's largest" constellation of synthetic aperture radar satellites. ... ICEYE aiming to start satellite ...

Dec 19,2025
Seraphim Space IT investee company gets significant German contract

... satellite constellation with AI driven image evaluation. The contract starts at the end of 2025 and lasts for five years. ICEYE is by far the ...

Dec 19,2025
Germany awards $1.9 billion SAR satellite deal to Rheinmetall-Iceye venture | Michael Baum

A giant congratulations to the team at ICEYE. I'm so proud to be part of this company from the beginning with Yope https://lnkd.in/eBkVGaqS.

Dec 19,2025
Ovzon Receives Supplementary Order of 58 MSEK from FMV for A - ASDNews

The mobile satellite terminals are fully compatible with the satellite network services Ovzon provides to FMV. ... Iceye Open Up Dimension Space.

Dec 19,2025
SSA

Questions about Commercial Innovation Center (CIC)