JACIE Bulletin

Updated July 31, 2024

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This page will provide updates on the annual JACIE Workshop, relay the ongoing efforts and outcomes of JACIE assessments, feature upcoming workshops across the globe, and share a list of recent notable satellite launches. 

JACIE Workshops

The JACIE Workshop is an annual effort to engage federal agencies, their partners, and the commercial remote sensing industry. A key goal of the workshop is to understand the characteristics and capabilities of current and new data sources, along with the quality of data they provide. 

2024 JACIE Workshop Summary

The JACIE 2024 Workshop highlighted the critical need for enhanced coordination among global satellite missions and technology advancements to ensure high-quality data characterization. Furthermore, the workshop underscored the irreplaceable value of face-to-face interactions in fostering technical discussions, networking opportunities, and vendor engagements that virtual settings cannot fully replicate.

JACIE 2024 Statistics:

• There were approximately 575 attendees, including 275 in-person and 300 online participants.
• Participants registered from 32 countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Morocco, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, USA, and Vietnam.
• 75+ presentations were delivered across four days.
• 47 organizations were represented at the workshop.
• There were 13 exhibits showcasing various technologies and products.
• 23 posters were presented highlighting research and development.
• SAR session led by Tom Ager with approximately 30-40 attendees focusing on "The Geometric Modeling and Accuracy of SAR Images," SAR image assembly and content, and SAR geolocation advice.
• Assessments & Tools session with Simon Cantrell attracted 10-15 attendees discussing the establishment of common methodologies for evaluating image quality and the interest in open-source image quality assessment tools, as well as reducing engineering target costs.
• HSI session led by Ajit Sampath and Minsu Kim with 30-40 attendees exploring a generic framework for evaluating hyperspectral systems, characterization of systems like EnMAP, EMIT, DESIS, and UAS, and novel ways to assess performance including absorption features in reflectance profiles.

Upcoming JACIE 2025 Workshop

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JACIE 2025 will be held in-person Monday, April 7 - Friday, April 11, 2025 at the USGS Headquarters in Reston, Virginia. Registration is free and open to all. The workshop will consist of presentations, panel discussions, lightning talks, side meetings, exhibitors, posters, and networking opportunities. 

2025 Workshop Focus Areas:

• Active Sensors (SAR, Lidar)
• Artificial Intelligence & Automation
• Analysis Ready Data & Interoperability
• Calibrating Satellite Constellations
• Characterization Results
• New & Future Systems
• Quality & Accuracy Impacts to Data Fusion
• Resources for Data Quality & Calibration
• Standards, Specifications, Format
• Techniques & Tools/Software to Measure Quality
• Topo, Geolocation, DEM

Call for abstracts/posters and exhibits will open on September 5, 2024. Important dates pertaining to the workshop can be found on the 2025 JACIE Workshop webpage.

If you are interested in getting more involved with JACIE support efforts, please email the JACIE Team at eccoe@usgs.gov. 

JACIE Resources

Tools

• Online Compendium
  • JACIE Compendium
• Spectral Characteristics Viewer
  • Spectral Characteristics Viewer
• Land Product Characterization System (LPCS)
  • Land Product Characterization System

USGS Documents

• JACIE Best Practices
  • Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation (JACIE) best practices for remote sensing system evaluation and reporting (usgs.gov)
• USGS System Characterization Reports
  • System characterization of Earth observation sensors (usgs.gov)

NASA References

• NASA Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition Publications
  • Commercial Smallsat Data Publications

Open-source Tools

• Continued planning!

What's New

2024 Earth Observing Satellite Launches

The Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation (JACIE) Earth Observing Satellites Online Compendium provides comprehensive information on past, present, and future Earth observing satellites and their sensors. Managed by the RCA-EO team at the USGS EROS Center, this online resource evolves from print versions published in 2019, 2020, and 2022. 

The Online Compendium is updated weekly, and recently added information about 32 Earth observing satellite launches by 9 different countries so far in 2024. These launches are also listed in this file. 
 

Recent JACIE Technical Team Meeting Topics 

JACIE technical team meetings feature guests who provide in-depth discussions and updates on technical developments and innovations in the remote sensing field.

• July 2024
  • JACIE Best Practices – Simon Cantrell (USGS-KBR) & Jeff Clauson (USGS)
• June 2024
  • Developing Global InSAR Solutions for Change Detection with Enhanced Regional Calibration – Vasit Sagan (GeoSLU)
• April 2024
  • Cloud-Computing Technologies and Tools for Earth Observation Imagery Evaluations – Chris Barber (USGS/IARPA)

If you would like to present at a JACIE Tech Team meeting, email eccoe@usgs.gov. Please note you must be a government employee or a contractor to the government to attend tech team meetings.  The JACIE Technical Team meets virtually the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 12:00 p.m. ET.

Upcoming Events (with Potential JACIE Attendance)

If you would like to connect with our coordination team during one of these events, please email eccoe@usgs.gov.