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.

Capella Space Active RF
Capella Space Active RF
the CIC encourages partnerships, increases data accessibility, integrates app development, and facilitates the creation of transition-ready prototypes
the CIC encourages partnerships, increases data accessibility, integrates app development, and facilitates the creation of transition-ready prototypes

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
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
Scientists use AI to track icebergs from birth to break up for the first time

Using satellite imagery, the system identifies individual icebergs, assigns each a unique identity and follows it over time. Crucially, when a ...

Feb 4,2026
OHB Hellas' Versal Orbital HPC hardware collaboration with Parsimoni's Satellite App Store

This marketplace allows satellite operators to monetize unused onboard capacity by hosting third-party applications, essentially creating an “Airbnb ...

Feb 4,2026
Satellite images show America's winter freeze from space | National | purdueexponent.org

image. Ice can be seen in the Hudson River ... Fascinating images taken by a satellite and an astronaut show entire cities blanketed in white.

Feb 4,2026
Satellite images show America's winter freeze from space | National - Manhattan Mercury

... image. Ice can be seen in the Hudson River ... Fascinating images taken by a satellite and an astronaut show entire cities blanketed in white.

Feb 4,2026
Debunking a bogus branch: The mythical Minnow Brook West - Adirondack Almanack

Satellite pictures available today, but not in 1954, also seem to show a second exit. Apparent Watercourse USGS Satellite Image Apparent watercourse, ...

Feb 4,2026
Japan's 'Owl' spy satellites in orbit - Asia Times

SAR satellite Synspective brings high resolution imaging ... According to SKY Perfect JSAT, “Existing commercial satellite imagery services may not ...

Feb 4,2026
Webinar: using satellite imagery to track data centers and land use - NCEJN

Register: Join NCEJN and The Center for Progressive Reform on Tuesday, February 24 • 1 PM for a webinar on using satellite imagery to track data ...

Feb 4,2026
Satellite Imagery Shows Winter's Icy Grip on US Northeast - The Daily Telegraph

Satellite imagery captured on Wednesday, February 4, shows “healthy snowpack” as freezing temperatures continued to grip the mid-Atlantic and ...

Feb 4,2026
Mesmerizing satellite footage shows cloud streets from last weekend's Arctic blast - WSMV

The convective roll clouds were pictured over Florida. Satellite footage shows cloud streets over Florida.(NOAA ...

Feb 4,2026
Israeli army bulldozes Gaza cemetery containing Allied soldiers' graves - Middle East Eye

Satellite imagery shows headstones have been removed and earth has been dug up.

Feb 4,2026
Remote Sensing, Real Impact: Technology-Driven Conservation at the Jane Goodall Institute

... satellite imagery and geospatial technology to help people and chimpanzees/animals thrive. Carla Lauter · Conference News · Lidar & Geospatial · In ...

Feb 4,2026
Sustainable and Responsible Operations in the Age of AI

Topics discussed during the day include, for example, the use of satellite imagery and geospatial analytics to monitor forests, quantify biomass ...

Feb 4,2026
LIVE: Israeli attacks across Gaza kill 23 Palestinians since dawn - Al Jazeera

Israeli forces have bulldozed part of a cemetery in the Tuffah neighbourhood of Gaza City, satellite imagery has revealed, churning up soil in an ...

Feb 4,2026
A Rules-Based Order and the New Logic of Deterrence | Hudson Institute

Regions. Closing the Arctic Gaps: NATO Allies and Partners Can Protect Their Homelands by Updating Their. Caption. True color satellite image shows ...

Feb 4,2026
Satellite Imagery Shows Winter's Icy Grip on US Northeast - Yahoo

Satellite imagery captured on Wednesday, February 4, shows “healthy snowpack” as freezing temperatures continued to grip the mid-Atlantic and ...

Feb 4,2026
Women have been mapping the world for centuries – and now they're speaking ... - The Conversation

... satellite imagery to observe, measure and map the Earth. In the same period, mathematician Gladys West developed the mathematical models for ...

Feb 4,2026
Satellite image shows "cloud streets" over southern U.S. after Arctic blast - YouTube

... NOAA/NESDIS/GOES-19. Satellite image shows "cloud streets" over southern U.S. after Arctic blast. No views · 2 minutes ago ...more. WSMV 4 Nashville.

Feb 4,2026
Memphis Ice Storm Satellite Imagery - Reddit

Memphis Ice Storm Satellite Imagery. Context Provided - Spotlight. r/memphis - Memphis Ice Storm ...

Feb 4,2026
Date of satellite imagery - Google Maps Community

How do I find the date that the satellite image on Google Maps was taken? Details. Imagery (Street View, satellite, photos),iOS.

Feb 4,2026
Illuminate the Dark Fleet With Planet Maritime Domain Awareness ...

Planet's MDA solution leverages AI to automatically detect and categorize vessels in satellite imagery. The vessel detections shown here are in the ...

Feb 4,2026
Satellite Launches
NTIA advises states against signing SpaceX's request for BEAD program exemptions

... satellite service. The firm had objected to BEAD's “capacity ... Nevada launches Orion, a new business licensing platform · New nonprofit aims ...

Feb 4,2026
Musk vows to put data centers in space, experts doubt - Spectrum News

Musk is not alone trying to solve these problems. A company in Redmond, Washington, called Starcloud, launched a satellite in November carrying a ...

Feb 4,2026
Japan's 'Owl' spy satellites in orbit - Asia Times

Japan's 'Owl' spy satellites in orbit. SAR satellite Synspective brings high resolution imaging and data analytics to the Ministry of Defense. by ...

Feb 4,2026
Bleached Mars rocks discovered by NASA rover suggest planet was once wet - Florida Today

... launched in 2020 from Florida. The car-sized robot ... Satellite imagery has also spotted large outcroppings of kaolinite in other areas of Mars.

Feb 4,2026
Launch date finally revealed for IRIS², Europe's rival to Starlink - 3DVF

The European Union is taking a firm stride toward sovereignty in satellite internet with IRIS². ... images numériques. Logo 3DVF. As the benchmark ...

Feb 4,2026
Musk's massive space-based data center: Super scale or sheer folly? - Light Reading

Del Deo estimates that building and sustaining a constellation of 1 million satellites, each with a five-year life, would require SpaceX to launch ...

Feb 4,2026
Musk's mega-merger of SpaceX and xAI bets on sci-fi future of data centers in space

... Images via CNN Newsource). Seventy-five years ago, the idea of ... He is armed with the world's busiest satellite launch fleet, an AI ...

Feb 4,2026
SpaceX Tries to Derail Amazon Leo Satellite Launch Extension - PCMag Middle East

... Images). SpaceX is calling out Amazon for failing to build out its Starlink competitor, Leo, on time, and appears to be trying to derail Amazon's ...

Feb 4,2026
February 2026 - SatTrackCam Leiden (b)log

THE SECRET SPIES IN THE SKY - Imagery, Data Analysis, and Discussions relating to Military Space SatTrackCam Leiden (Cospar 4353) is a satellite ...

Feb 4,2026
Another failed deorbit of a Falcon 9 upper stage - SatTrackCam Leiden

On 2 February 2026, SpaceX launched Starlink 17-32, with 25 new Starlink satellites, from Vandenberg SFB in California.

Feb 4,2026
Revealed: Israel bulldozed part of Gaza war cemetery containing allied graves - The Guardian

Satellite images and witness testimony show destruction as IDF claims ... launch aggressive campaign to win back infrequent voters. Gaza.

Feb 4,2026
Iran news outlet posts images of US bases as tensions remain high

Also, according to satellite images reviewed by AFP, as of February 3 ... NASA Moon mission launch srubbed to March after test · SpaceX grounds ...

Feb 4,2026
Russian Reconnaissance Satellites Suspected of Eavesdropping on 17 European Satellites

The Russian satellites that closely monitored European satellites in GEO over the past three years are Luch-1 (launched in 2014) and Luch-2 (2023), ...

Feb 4,2026
Russia builds more Shahed launch sites – Threat to Ukraine rises

According to the outlet, satellite images show four permanent launchers and four specialized drone-launch vehicles already deployed at Shatalovo.

Feb 4,2026
Welinq Launches Commercial Entangled Photon Pair Source - The Quantum Insider

Welinq Launches Commercial Entangled Photon Pair Source. Daily ... Satellite Imagery. May 24, 2021. Keep track of everything going on in the ...

Feb 4,2026
Muon Space ramps up multi-mission satellite constellations

The Mountain View based company reports that its growing mission portfolio, expanding launch manifest and increasing demand for end-to-end, mission- ...

Feb 4,2026
Elon Musk wants to put 1 million satellites in orbit. Can Earth handle it? - Fast Company

Can Earth handle it? [Images: Ingo Bartussek/Adobe Stock; kinomaster ... launch up to one million more. The figure is so large it would dwarf ...

Feb 4,2026
FireSat adds orbit-visualization software to help firefighters plan around satellite passes

A prototype satellite built by Muon Space launched in March 2025, and ... images from the spacecraft in June. A deployment of three FireSat ...

Feb 4,2026
OHB Hellas' Versal Orbital HPC hardware collaboration with Parsimoni's Satellite App Store

On February 4, 2026, OHB Hellas and Parsimoni announced a strategic joint project to launch ... imaging of specific disaster areas or optimizing ...

Feb 4,2026
Muon Space ramps up multi-mission satellite constellations - SatNews

... imagery to support military planning in contested environments. ... Over the next 20 months, Muon Space has 20 satellites manifested for launch, ...

Feb 4,2026
EO-MSI
The Neo-Muscovite Dependency – Sovereign Security & Financial Forensics 2026 - Debug

C (Fairly Reliable): OSINT tracking of the Russian Shadow Fleet via satellite imagery and maritime transponder data. Information Credibility (1-6):. 1 ...

Feb 4,2026
Revealed: Israel bulldozed part of Gaza war cemetery containing allied graves - The Guardian

Satellite images and witness testimony show destruction as IDF ... A spokesperson for the Royal British Legion said: “We are saddened to ...

Feb 4,2026
Data centers in space makes no sense | Hacker News

A communications satellite like the Eurostar Neo satellite has a ... Is it reasonable to use Neo as a baseline? Modern Starlink satellites ...

Feb 4,2026
SpaceX Tries to Derail Amazon Leo Satellite Launch Extension | PCMag

SpaceX further argues that it was obvious Amazon wouldn't hit the deadline to launch half of the Leo constellation by late July. Amazon's satellite ...

Feb 4,2026
Iran-US talks blow up: Round of talks scheduled for Friday canceled, Witkoff leaves Mideast

... Satellite Image ©2025 Maxar Technologies/AFP, Getmilitaryphotos/Shutterstock, A. Iran-US talks blow up: Round of talks scheduled for Friday ...

Feb 4,2026
Amazon, AT&T Team Up to Bring Satellite Internet to Businesses in Remote Areas | PCMag

Amazon Leo has struck a deal with AT&T to serve business customers, which could help promote satellite internet service in the US. ... Legion Go Review ...

Feb 4,2026
Illuminate the Dark Fleet With Planet Maritime Domain Awareness ...

Broad area open-water monitoring. The PlanetScope® constellation delivers near-daily 3.7 m imagery over 20 million sq kms of open water, covering ...

Feb 4,2026
Understanding the EU's Strategic Re-Engagement With Turkey - Stratfor

Worldview- News at demand · Americas · Asia-Pacific · Eurasia · Europe · Middle ... A digital satellite illustration shows Europe at night. A digital ...

Feb 4,2026
BlackSky Technology Clears Technical Benchmark, Hitting 90-Plus RS Rating

The company earns the No. 6 rank among its peers in the Telecom Services-Cable/Satellite industry group. Planet Labs PBC (PL), AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) ...

Feb 4,2026
Satellite images show America's winter freeze from space | National | heraldpalladium.com

Jan. 31: Galien American Legion Post 344 Soup Night Out, 402 N. Cleveland Ave., Galien, 4-6:30 p.m. All-you-can-eat soup (chicken noodle ...

Feb 4,2026
UAV Satellite Communication Market Is Going to Boom |• Hughes Network Systems • Viasat

Maxar Technologies. ➤ UAV Satellite Communication Market Segments: By Types: • Commercial • Military • Government • Agriculture • Telecommunications

Feb 4,2026
Airbus, Singapore obtain full certification of automatic air-to-air refuelling on A330 MRTT aircraft

Airbus to launch first Pléiades Neo Next satellite in 2028, strengthening Earth observation and geospatial services · ST Engineering has secured a ...

Feb 4,2026
BlackSky expands Gen 3 Assured deals with new defense customer - Space Daily

... satellite constellation, ground systems and ... The company owns and operates a proprietary low Earth orbit constellation and the BlackSky ...

Feb 4,2026
BlackSky Lands Seven-Figure Gen-3 Assured Services Deal with Global Defense Partner

BlackSky Technology was awarded multiple Gen-3 Assured services contracts totaling seven figures with a new international defense.

Feb 4,2026
Kratos recently received aviation system and related warfighter contract awards with total ...

Satellite Evolution Group; 3 minutes ago; 1 min read. Kratos recently ...

Feb 4,2026
Two Space Stocks Show Long-Term Potential | NAI 500

... BlackSky Technology (BKSY), among others. Recently, Rocket Lab secured ... satellite constellation. This is the company's largest order to ...

Feb 4,2026
Kymeta and JDI partner to produce new groundbreaking multi-band metasurface aperture

Kymeta, the global leader in mobile satellite communications powered by metamaterials technology, has today announced a master supply agreement ...

Feb 4,2026
Satellite Imagery Market Set to Witness Massive Growth by 2033,

Satellite Imagery Market Set to Witness Massive Growth by 2033, Driven by Key Players like Maxar, Airbus, and GeoIQ. 02-04-2026 10:47 AM CET ...

Feb 4,2026
SpaceX acquires xAI to build integrated space-based AI platform - SatellitePro ME

Neo Space Group brings high-speed connectivity to Riyadh Air fleet. 1 ... SatellitePro ME addresses all aspects of the satellite industry ...

Feb 4,2026
Telespazio and Italian Space Agency to Upgrade Historic Fucino Antenna - Via Satellite

Technology Skynopy Wins New Airbus Deal for Pléiades Neo Ground Segment Enhancement ... “With Response, Telespazio and ASI are giving new life to an ...

Feb 4,2026
SAR
Days after NSA's visit to Isro centre, space minister rules out sabotage in PSLV failures

Isro faced a huge setback on Jan 12 after its workhorse launch vehicle PSLV-C62, carrying surveillance satellite EOS-N1 and 15 co-passenger ...

Feb 4,2026
Who is Matteo Paz? The Teen Who Mapped 1.5 Million Changing Objects in Space

Matteo Paz's parents, Amy and Pedro Paz ... ISRO Issues Radio Blackout Alert as Powerful Solar Flares Threaten India & Disrupt Satellite Communications.

Feb 4,2026
PAGASA raises Signal No. 1 over more areas as 'Basyang' nears eastern Mindanao

Satellite image of Tropical Depression Basyang (Courtesy of PAGASA). Tropical ...

Feb 4,2026
Rheinmetall to participate in 3 German space programs - ФАКТИ.БГ

... ICEYE. Rheinmetall holds a 60% majority stake in the joint venture, while ICEYE holds a 40% stake. The first satellite is expected to be produced ...

Feb 4,2026
IonQ stock falls amid short seller attack and tech sector weakness - Investing.com Nigeria

... satellite imagery company Capella, atomic clock maker Vector Atomics, and quantum key distribution firm ID Quantique. Wolf Pack claims these ...

Feb 4,2026
Airbus Partners with Hisdesat on PAZ-2 satellite Imagery Commercialization | Aviation Pros

The PAZ-2 mission will offer near-real-time services, with a latency from acquisition to availability of around five minutes.

Feb 4,2026
Germany to Create Satellite Constellation for Missile Tracking

In December 2025, the German Armed Forces signed a major agreement to procure space-based intelligence data from Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions, a ...

Feb 4,2026
Satellite Imagery Market Set to Witness Massive Growth by 2033,

• ICEYE • UrtheCast • and Northrop Grumman. ➤ Comprehensive segmentation and classification of the report: • Agriculture • Forestry • Defense and ...

Feb 4,2026
Poland expands satellite program as launches and capabilities increase - The Am-Pol Eagle

... satellite from ICEYE; and the PW6U satellite developed by SatRev. “This is an impressive number considering the early stages of the satellite ...

Feb 4,2026
Papperger (Rheinmetall): "We are evaluating a bid for three space programs."

... Iceye. Last week, the Financial Times also revealed that Rheinmetall ... satellite, agrees: "By investing in a single operator that becomes a ...

Feb 4,2026
Ukraine's satellite wake-up call for Europe - The Parliament Magazine

We needed something already in orbit, and ICEYE provided that.” SAR technology proved particularly valuable. Optical satellites, by contrast, are ...

Feb 4,2026
From arms to orbit: Rheinmetall's expansion unsettles rivals - Financial Times

German MPs in December approved the company's first satellite production contract, worth up to €2bn as part of a joint venture with Finland's Iceye.

Feb 4,2026
ISRO eyes 18 Space launches in 2026: Jitendra Singh - UNITED NEWS OF INDIA

... EOS-N1 satellite and 15 other payloads. ISRO is targeting June 2026 for the next PSLV mission, contingent on completing investigations ...

Feb 4,2026
Mexican University Deploys 'Gxiba-1' Satellite through UNOOSA and JAXA's KiboCUBE Program

A student-built satellite from Mexico has been successfully deployed ... PAZ-2 Satellite Imagery. Topics. Space Economy · Space Geopolitics · Space ...

Feb 4,2026
Milrem Robotics and EOS Defence Systems Sign Teaming Agreeme - ASDNews

... Satellite Service Portfolio for Government UAV Operations. Feb 2, 2026 · Draganfly Selected to Provide Draganfly Flex FPV Drones and Training to U.S. ...

Feb 4,2026
PSLV to be reviewed by third party outside Isro, could launch by June - India Today

The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is set to review the Polar Satellite ... EOS-09 Earth observation satellite meant for strategic ...

Feb 4,2026
PSLV to be reviewed by third party outside Isro, could launch by June - India Today

... EOS-09 Earth observation satellite meant for strategic governmental use. Similarly, the PSLV-C62 launch on January 12, 2026, carrying the EOS-N1 ...

Feb 4,2026
Commercialization Agreement Inked for PAZ-2 Satellite Imagery - The Journal of Space Commerce

... PAZ satellite in constellation with the German TerraSAR-X / TanDEM-X satellites. The alliance was first established in 2018. “This partnership ...

Feb 4,2026
The Mystery of Auriga | Christian County Headliner News

One such example is a star in the constellation of Auriga. Auriga is a bright constellation. Its brightest star, Capella, is a first magnitude star.

Feb 4,2026
Milrem Robotics, EOS Partner to Advance Network-Centric Combat Robotics - APDR

Milrem Robotics and EOS Defence Systems sign a teaming agreement to develop network-centric collaborative combat robotics and advanced unmanned ...

Feb 4,2026
SSA

Questions about Commercial Innovation Center (CIC)