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
Tech can avert catastrophic fires. What's missing is coordination - Los Angeles Times

A satellite image from NASA shows smoke from Southern California wildfires in September 2024. Technology could be used better to prevent, detect ...

Jan 7,2026
CIA turncoat Aldrich Ames, who sold US secrets to the Soviets, dies in prison at 84

... satellite operations, eavesdropping and general spy procedures. His betrayals are blamed for the executions of Western agents working behind the ...

Jan 7,2026
Startup, Loki: AI to Reduce Road Maintenance Costs - Materia Rinnovabile

... intelligence, satellite navigation, hardware and software development. Features: Predictive monitoring for the maintenance of road and pavement ...

Jan 7,2026
A Middle East Alliance needs U.S. leadership - GIS Reports

A true-color satellite image of the Middle East, a region which ...

Jan 7,2026
DRDO's imaging satellite is Isro's first launch of 2026 - Rediff.com

ISRO is preparing for the PSLV-C62 mission launch on January 12 from Sriharikota, carrying the EOS-N1 satellite and multiple other payloads.

Jan 7,2026
Satellite Connectivity Enables Scalable Digital Health in Mexico

Satellite connectivity is reshaping digital healthcare delivery in ... Global Health Intelligence estimates that the Latin American digital ...

Jan 7,2026
Australian Cities' Outskirts At Risk of Los Angeles-Style Wildfires - Earth.Org

Satellite image from the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission of bushfire smoke over Eastern Australia on November 12, 2019. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Jan 7,2026
Satellite overload: astronomers look to UN to preserve the night sky - Geneva Solutions

... commercial satellite constellations and framing them as critical ... This image shows the Simonyi Survey Telescope taking on-sky observations ...

Jan 7,2026
Array Labs Raises $20M to Scale Radar Manufacturing | Design and Development Today

In 2025, Array Labs doubled the size of its team, completed the design of its satellite ... intelligence rather than folders of static imagery.

Jan 7,2026
9.3% of Earth's land flagged in new outbreak risk map

In this study, algorithms combined satellite imagery, climate records, land use maps, and past infections to estimate where future outbreaks might ...

Jan 7,2026
Sierra Space Completes First Batch of SDA Satellite Structures Ahead of Schedule

reports it has completed satellite structures for the first nine of 18 ... © 2026 Access Intelligence – all rights reserved. Privacy Policy ...

Jan 7,2026
Maintenance Work at Kekaulike Courtyards | Department of Housing and Land Management

City News. Satellite image showing the work zone location with a red star (image courtesy Google Earth). Maintenance Work at Kekaulike Courtyards ...

Jan 7,2026
Launch Postponement of the H3 Launch Vehicle No. 9 (H3 F9) which carries aboard ...

The launch of MICHIBIKI No. 7, Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZS-7) aboard the H3 Launch Vehicle No. 9 (H3 F9) which was scheduled on February 1, ...

Jan 7,2026
S. Korean multipurpose satellite deployment delayed again amid Italian project setback

The planned deployment of South Korea's latest multipurpose satellite, Arirang 6, has been delayed again amid setbacks in the development of an ...

Jan 7,2026
Estimating snow cover from high-resolution satellite imagery by thresholding blue wavelengths

Estimating snow cover from high-resolution satellite imagery by thresholding blue wavelengths - Los Alamos National Laboratory - Journal article.

Jan 7,2026
Space Intelligence fuels climate action with Microsoft Foundry, Planetary Computer

Space Intelligence maps global forests using a massive number of satellite images. But desktop computing and unreliable data access limited its ...

Jan 7,2026
Why Stealth Black Hawks Weren't Used For Maduro Capture Mission - The War Zone

It also wasn't a military base located in the capital of the country. A satellite image ... Satellite image ©2026 Vantor. The Bin Laden mission ...

Jan 7,2026
Greece nano satellite MICE-1 supports maritime commuications - GPS World

Greece now has its own internet of things (IoT) nano satellite ... The company will also use the nanosatellite to optimize and evaluate the artificial ...

Jan 7,2026
Research on remote sensing satellite image compression and evaluation methods based on GAN

Image compression technology plays an indispensable role in the field of remote sensing satellite; however, existing methods often struggle to ...

Jan 7,2026
Israel Space Agency Selects Team to Lead R&D Space Laboratory Development

Rendering of an ImageSat International RUNNER remote sensing satellite. ... ImageSat International (ISI), a space-based intelligence solutions ...

Jan 7,2026
Satellite Launches
Ukraine says Chinese satellites may be aiding Russia | The Jerusalem Post

... satellite imagery of locations in Ukraine to Russia. The launch ...

Jan 7,2026
ISRO to kick off 2026 with PSLV-C62 launch on January 12 - The Hindu

The primary payload of the mission is the EOS-N1, an imaging satellite built for strategic purposes by the DRDO. Updated - January 07, 2026 03:04 ...

Jan 7,2026
The campaign over planetary mixers - The race to rebuild

The downward trend in launches also stemmed from the cumbersome launch ... According to several reports, analysis of commercial satellite imagery ...

Jan 7,2026
S Korea's Arirang 6 satellite launch reportedly delayed to 2027 - Tech in Asia

Finland-based ICEYE works in South Korea through Asia Pacific Satellite Inc., a local distributor, to supply SAR imagery to government and commercial ...

Jan 7,2026
Satellite overload: astronomers look to UN to preserve the night sky - Geneva Solutions

As satellite launches surge toward 1.7 million by 2030, astronomers and ... images taken by the low-orbit Hubble Space Telescope potentially ...

Jan 7,2026
ISRO Returns To Launch Pad For 2026's First Mission: Advanced Earth Imaging Satellite

EOS-N1 is a hyperspectral imaging satellite capable of capturing ground data in hundreds of narrow wavelength bands, which can help in the ...

Jan 7,2026
Delaware Department of Transportation and TransCore Launch New Tolling Back Office ...

... Satellite Imagery and Geospatial Solutions · Satellite Systems · BPO ... Launch New Tolling Back Office System to Enhance Statewide Operations.

Jan 7,2026
Three Iranian Satellites Fully Operational After Soyuz Launch

The Paya satellite has now entered the payload testing phase. “Its main imaging cameras have been activated, and the first image has been successfully ...

Jan 7,2026
Launch Postponement of MICHIBIKI No. 7, Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZS-7 ... - JAXA

Get information on the Launch Postponement of MICHIBIKI No. 7, Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZS-7) aboard the 9th H3 Launch Vehicle (H3 F9).

Jan 7,2026
Launch Postponement of the H3 Launch Vehicle No. 9 (H3 F9) which carries aboard ...

The launch of MICHIBIKI No. 7, Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZS-7) ... Images by JAXA's "XRISM" X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission ...

Jan 7,2026
Greece nano satellite MICE-1 supports maritime commuications - GPS World

MICE-1 was launched Nov. 28 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, as part of the Transporter-15 mission by SpaceX.

Jan 7,2026
Third COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation Satellite Successfully Launched - Forceindia.net

Since the launch of the first COSMO-SkyMed satellite in 2007, about 4.3 million images have been acquired by the satellites and archived. As a mission ...

Jan 7,2026
Top European Launch Companies of 2025

While images of the demonstrator on the launch pad at ... launch satellites for its Arctic Ocean Surveillance programme aboard a Spectrum rocket.

Jan 7,2026
Array Labs Eyes Launch Of Radar Sat Cluster In 2027 | Aviation Week Network

Startup Array Labs plans to launch its first formation-flying cluster comprised of four radar satellites in the middle of 2027.

Jan 7,2026
Satellite Radar Startup Array Labs Raises $20M

Launch SpaceX Launches Third Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation Satellite ... satellite clusters; and 3D imagery and analytics from its own satellite ...

Jan 7,2026
Study casts doubt on potential for life on Jupiter's moon Europa | Reuters

A view of Jupiter's moon Europa created from images taken by NASA's ... Starlink satellites launch from Cape Canaveral. December 28, 2025 ...

Jan 7,2026
China closes 2025 with surprise dual satellite launch for space surveillance - MSN

China launched two new-generation satellites, Shijian-29A and Shijian-29B, on December 31, 2025, using a modified Long March-7 rocket from the ...

Jan 7,2026
Why Planet Labs Stock Powered Nearly 66% Higher Last Month - The Globe and Mail

Coming just after Planet Labs'(NYSE: PL) latest satellite launch, December was a good month for the space company's stock. ... imagery satellites, ...

Jan 7,2026
Satellite Image Show Damage at Airport Following US Strikes - Business Insider

Satellite imagery released in the aftermath of US airstrikes launched in support of the operation to apprehend Nicolás Maduro shows damage beyond ...

Jan 7,2026
Why Planet Labs Stock Powered Nearly 66% Higher Last Month | The Motley Fool

Twin satellite launch. Planet Labs barreled into December on a high ... imagery satellites, Pelican-5 and Pelican-6. Less than two weeks later ...

Jan 7,2026
EO-MSI
CubeSat Market Size to Surpass USD 1.98 Billion by 2033, at 18.34% CAGR | SNS Insider

... satellite missions.Austin, Jan. 07, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) ... satellite capacity, PlanetScope, SkySat, and AI-enabled imagery services.

Jan 7,2026
ISI selected to build the national backbone for Israel's space ecosystem - Satellite Evolution

ImageSat International has announced that the Access to Space consortium, in which ISI is a member, has been selected by the Israel Space Agency ...

Jan 7,2026
Satellite Data Services Market Competition Analysis 2026: How Players Are Shaping Growth

Maxar Technologies, the largest player along with Airbus, Planet Labs, and L3Harris Technologies, maintains a competitive edge through advanced ...

Jan 7,2026
Stunning satellite images show north turned white by snow - STV News

Satellite images show the north of Scotland turned white by snow. NASA Worldview. Satellite images show the north of Scotland turned white by snow.

Jan 7,2026
Israel Space Agency Selects Team to Lead R&D Space Laboratory Development

Rendering of an ImageSat International RUNNER remote sensing satellite. ... ISI announced details of its win here, Jan. 6. The consortium, led by ...

Jan 7,2026
BlackSky Technology (NYSE:BKSY) Shares Up 8.9% - Here's What Happened - MarketBeat

BlackSky Technology (NYSE:BKSY) Trading Up ... Founded in 2014 as part of Spaceflight Industries, BlackSky has grown its satellite constellation ...

Jan 7,2026
More U.S. strikes on Iran are possible, lawmakers say - Jewish Insider

Satellite image (c) 2025 Maxar Technologies. ISFAHAN NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY CENTER, IRAN -- JUNE 22, 2025: 04 Maxar satellite image reveals multiple ...

Jan 7,2026
High-resolution planet Dove data identify local drivers of kelp canopy persistence - Nature

... satellite data have been used to map kelp canopies over large ... Dove imagery and created annual 3 m resolution maps from 2017 to 2024 ...

Jan 7,2026
Why I See More Gen-3 Adoption For BlackSky In 2026 (NYSE:BKSY) | Seeking Alpha

AI-driven Spectra analytics platform transforms raw satellite data into actionable intelligence, supporting BlackSky's 'land and expand' strategy for ...

Jan 7,2026
Space strike: New Spanish satellite hit by mysterious particle

Both satellites use Airbus Eurostar Neo satellite platforms and are equipped with reconfigurable X-band antennas and steerable Ka-band antennas ...

Jan 7,2026
CapEx per share of C-COM Satellite Systems Inc. – NEO:CMI - TradingView

CapEx per share, quarterly and annual stats of C-COM Satellite Systems Inc..

Jan 7,2026
SAR
ISRO's first launch of 2026 scheduled for January 12; to carry DRDO satellite among other payloads

According to an ISRO official, the mission's primary payload is the EOS-N1, an imaging satellite developed by the Defence Research and Development ...

Jan 7,2026
ISRO to Launch PSLV-C62 With EOS-N1 Satellite on January 12 - GKToday

Officials said EOS-N1 will be placed into its intended orbit using the reliable Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. Mission Timeline and Launch Details.

Jan 7,2026
One rocket, multiple payloads: ISRO's first launch of 2026 on 'India's space bus' - The Week

The main passenger on this flight is a satellite called EOS-N1, or Anvesha, weighing several hundred kilograms. Built by India's Defence Research ...

Jan 7,2026
ISRO to kick off 2026 with PSLV-C62 launch on January 12 - The Hindu

ISRO's PSLV-C62 mission, featuring the EOS-N1 satellite, launches on January 12, 2026, from Sriharikota.

Jan 7,2026
Satellite Data Services Market Competition Analysis 2026: How Players Are Shaping Growth

Meanwhile, agile innovators such as ICEYE, RMSI, Spire, BlackSky, EUMETSAT, and EOS Data Analytics continue to capture niche demand through ...

Jan 7,2026
ISRO set for year's first launch - News Arena

ISRO will launch PSLV-C62 on January 12 carrying the strategic EOS-N1 satellite, a Spanish probe and 17 global payloads from Sriharikota.

Jan 7,2026
ISRO To Launch PSLV-C62 Mission With EOS-N1 Satellite On January 12 From Sriharikota

ISRO to launch PSLV-C62 on Jan 12, 2026, carrying EOS-N1 satellite and 18 co-passenger payloads from Sriharikota.

Jan 7,2026
S Korea's Arirang 6 satellite launch reportedly delayed to 2027 - Tech in Asia

Commercial SAR providers can fill near-term demand from Korean agencies. Finland-based ICEYE works in South Korea through Asia Pacific Satellite Inc., ...

Jan 7,2026
ISRO to launch India's 1st satellite refueling mission in 2026 - NewsBytes

... satellite refueling payload in space. Alongside AayulSAT, the mission will also carry the main EOS-N1 (Anvesha) satellite and 18 others. Why ...

Jan 7,2026
Isro's 1st launch of 2026 on January 12: Here's all that India is sending to space

Isro wil launch PSLV-C62 on January 12, 2026, carrying the hyperspectral EOS-N1 Anvesha satellite for strategic and environmental monitoring.

Jan 7,2026
Isro to launch startup's satellite refuelling mission with PSLV-C62 - India Today

... EOS-N1 (Anvesha) as its primary Earth observation satellite alongside 18 co-passengers, including this groundbreaking technology demonstrator.

Jan 7,2026
Isro to kick off 2026 with PSLV-C62 launch carrying EOS-N1 on Jan 12 | India News

According to an Isro official, the primary payload of the mission is the EOS-N1, an imaging satellite built for strategic purposes by the Defence ...

Jan 7,2026
Commissioning of Samudra Pratap strengthens self-reliance: PM Modi - Udayavani

... EOS-N1 satellite#Sriharikota launch#ISRO January 2026 launch#PSLV mission#SDSC SHAR#Defence Research and Development Organisation#DRDO satellite ...

Jan 7,2026
ISRO to launch PSLV-C62 mission on January 12 - UNITED NEWS OF INDIA

The mission will carry EOS-N1, an Earth Observation imaging satellite developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for ...

Jan 7,2026
ISRO set for first 2026 launch with PSLV C62 mission: All about it - CNBC TV18

... satellite, EOS-N1 (called Anvesha), into orbit. Along with this, the PSLV will also be carrying an European demonstrator satellite and as many as ...

Jan 7,2026
ISRO to kick off 2026 with PSLV-C62 launch on Jan 12 - The HinduBusinessLine

The primary payload of the mission is the EOS-N1, an imaging satellite built for strategic purposes by DRDO. By PTI. Updated - January 07, 2026 at ...

Jan 7,2026
ISRO's PSLV-C62 Mission: A Global Leap in Space Collaboration | Science-Environment

India's ISRO is set for the PSLV-C62 launch on January 12, 2026, from Sriharikota. The mission features the EOS-N1, a strategic imaging satellite ...

Jan 7,2026
After a rare May 2025 failure, ISRO's PSLV to fly on Jan 12th - WION

While the PSLV will be carrying multiple satellites to Earth orbit, its primary satellite will be the EOS-N1 or Anvesha, a hyperspectral Earth-imaging ...

Jan 7,2026
ISRO to launch Earth observation satellite EOS-N1 on January 12 - NewsBytes

EOS-N1 satellite to enhance India's remote sensing capabilities · AayulSAT and MOI-1: India's 1st on-orbit refueling mission · PSLV-C62 mission: A ...

Jan 7,2026
January 12 is an important day for India, all eyes will be on India as ISRO gets ready to launch…

It will carry the EOS-N1 satellite to orbit along with 18 other smaller co-passenger payloads. In a post on X on Tuesday, ISRO wrote, “The Launch ...

Jan 7,2026
HSI
SSA

Questions about Commercial Innovation Center (CIC)