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
GalaxEye Partners with NSIL to Expand Access to Advanced Satellite Imaging

GalaxEye, a leading space-technology startup developing the world's first SyncFused OptoSAR imaging satellite—and India's largest privately built ...

Feb 14,2026
Zelenskiy says US too often asks Ukraine, not Russia, for concessions | Reuters

A satellite image shows the USS Gerald R. Ford off the coast of St Thomas. 12 hours ago Autos & Transportationcategory · GE Aerospace turns to robots ...

Feb 14,2026
Security News This Week: Ring Kills Flock Safety Deal After Super Bowl Ad Uproar - WIRED

Combined with satellite imagery and human reviewers, AI-powered systems could replace in-person inspection of countries' nuclear facilities. Obviously ...

Feb 14,2026
AI powers India's space ambitions: From debris tracking to autonomous satellites

“I think artificial intelligence is very well suited to a data set like satellite imagery because there are petabytes and petabytes of this data that ...

Feb 14,2026
Honored to join @planet's European Advisory Board. Satellite intelligence is no longer ...

Satellite intelligence is no longer optional — it underpins national security and democratic resilience. Ukraine has shown how truth from orbit ...

Feb 14,2026
Satellite Footage Shows Surge in U.S. Aerial Tanker Fleet in Qatar as Buildup Against Iran Continues

Chinese commercial satellite imagery has confirmed a surge in U.S. Air Force deployments of KC-135 aerial refuelling tankers to Al Udeid Air Base ...

Feb 14,2026
Predicting crop evapotranspiration and irrigation requirements with Machine Learning and ...

... satellite imagery) and weather forecasts several days in advance, at a low operational cost. Common agronomy methods are relied upon for accurate ...

Feb 14,2026
Pentagon 'used AI to help capture Maduro' - The Telegraph

While it has previously been used by the military to analyse satellite imagery and intelligence, sources told the Wall Street Journal that Claude was ...

Feb 14,2026
Sudan civil war: Ethiopia's, UAE's role under scrutiny - DW.com

Satellite imagery shows a camp with hundreds of tents in Benishangul-Gumuz, Ethiopia. Reuters published sattelite imagery showing tents purportedly ...

Feb 14,2026
Trump: Iran regime change 'would be the best thing to ever happen' - BBC News

Iran fortifies underground complex near nuclear site, satellite images show. Published. 1 day ago. Satellite image shows tunnel entrances. Top stories.

Feb 14,2026
Are lasers the future of anti-drone warfare? | Weapons News | Al Jazeera

... intelligence. Published On 11 Feb 202611 Feb 2026. This handout satellite image taken by 2026 Planet Labs. Why was El Paso airspace shut down ...

Feb 14,2026
China Leaks U.S. Air Defence Positions To Iran; Sat Images Capture THAAD Deployment In Mideast

Chinese commercial satellite imagery has revealed the deployment of a U.S. Army Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system at Jordan's ...

Feb 14,2026
Europe's Weather Satellite Delivers Stunning Earth Views - video Dailymotion

00:12Europe's latest weather satellite, the Meteosat third generation imager,. 00:17has just delivered its first image. 00:20But before we reveal it ...

Feb 14,2026
High-definition satellite imagery reveals the deployment of Patriot air defense systems and F ...

GEOINT (@lobsterlarryliu). 39 views. High-definition satellite imagery reveals the deployment of Patriot air defense systems and F-16 fighter jets ...

Feb 14,2026
China expands Africa space ties with new satellite ground station in Namibia

The facilities it builds can provide satellite imagery and scientific data, while Chinese technicians often maintain a long-term operational presence.

Feb 14,2026
99% of Florida is in a drought, and one city's rainfall shows how dry it's been - AccuWeather

Satellite imagery showed “cloud streets” forming off the Florida coast on Feb. 1 as Arctic air moved south. The rare bands of clouds occur when ...

Feb 14,2026
5 maps that will change the way you see the world - Financial Times

... imagery has also become a key tool for journalists. SERBIA. 1960: KH-1 CORONA spy satellite, 12m/pixel, image declassified in 1995. Vračev Gaj ...

Feb 14,2026
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, February 13, 2026 - Institute for the Study of War

... satellite imagery and other geospatial data as the basis for these reports. References to all sources used are provided in the endnotes of each ...

Feb 14,2026
U.S. Patriot Air Defence Positions Near Iran Exposed in New Chinese Satellite Imagery

The publication of Chinese commercial satellite imagery has exposed the exact positioning of U.S. Army MIM-104 Patriot air defence systems at the ...

Feb 14,2026
Can Artificial Intelligence and Satellites Replace On-Site Nuclear Inspections? | APT

... intelligence and satellite imagery to monitor nuclear activity remotely. AI systems could analyze high-resolution satellite images to detect ...

Feb 14,2026
Satellite Launches
Musk's AI chatbot Grok gains US market share amid sexualized images backlash, data shows

Vietnam's government has allowed SpaceX to launch its Starlink satellite internet service in the country, state media reported on Saturday. World ...

Feb 14,2026
Govt. school students in Karaikudi launch satellite to detect fungi in atmosphere - The Hindu

Government school students near Karaikudi successfully launched a small-scale satellite to detect fungi in the second layer of the atmosphere.

Feb 14,2026
Head of military's space division warns Russia is considering putting nuclear weapons in orbit - CBC

... launch capacity so the country can have 'assured access to space. ... satellites. "That would be cataclysmic," said Brig.-Gen. Christopher Horner ...

Feb 14,2026
Space-Eyes, Inc. Expands Miami Headquarters & Washington, D.C. Presence - floridatoday.com

... satellite imagery, artificial intelligence, and multi-sensor data. The company's expanded Miami presence supports growth across engineering ...

Feb 14,2026
AI powers India's space ambitions: From debris tracking to autonomous satellites

“I think artificial intelligence is very well suited to a data set like satellite imagery because there are petabytes and petabytes of this data that ...

Feb 14,2026
China Leaks U.S. Air Defence Positions To Iran; Sat Images Capture THAAD Deployment In Mideast

Chinese commercial satellite imagery has revealed the deployment of a U.S. Army Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system at Jordan's ...

Feb 14,2026
NSIL to Resell GalaxEye Space Products: Rediff Moneynews

The products include advanced satellite imagery solutions, such as ... The company will soon launch its "Mission Drishti", a multi-sensory ...

Feb 14,2026
SpaceX plans Valentine's Day rocket launch. Spot liftoff in California - Ventura County Star

The mission will deploy 25 Starlink internet satellites into low-Earth orbit. · The launch will take place from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa ...

Feb 14,2026
Trump's 6000 Starlink SATs Dead? Musk's Protest Support Force Iran To Fast-Track Military Tech?

Iran has announced a significant leap in its space ambitions, unveiling plans for its first indigenous radar-imaging reconnaissance satellites, ...

Feb 14,2026
China Launches First Type 095 “Sui-Class” Nuclear Attack Submarine

Defence Security Asia (@defence_asia). 217 views. China Launches First Type 095 “Sui-Class” Nuclear Attack Submarine — Satellite Imagery Confirms ...

Feb 14,2026
Germany And France Move To Build European Nuclear Shield Inside NATO - UNITED24

... launched M51 ballistic missiles ... Latest news · Russia Places First Oreshnik Nuclear Missile Base Near NATO Borders, Satellite Images Reveal.

Feb 14,2026
A Chabahar Check-In - Arms Control Wonk

... satellite ground station in Salmas, Salarieh announced ... launch from Chabahar in February 2026 using a Simorgh space launch vehicle.

Feb 14,2026
Pakistan launches second indigenous earth observation satellite EO-2 - MSN

... satellite imagery. Expand article logo Continue reading. Side Sleepers ... satellite, HS-1, from China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in October.

Feb 14,2026
Space domain awareness, autonomous satellites, data centres in orbit - AI opens up brave new world

... imagery data it collects from satellites. "I think artificial ... "Being able to just put GPUs and compute on satellites and launch quite ...

Feb 14,2026
Stoke Space expands Series D funding to $860M to drive Nova launch development

Rocket Lab conducts second Electron mission in eight days to orbit Korean imaging satellite. Sydney, Australia (SPX) Jan 30, 2026. Rocket Lab ...

Feb 14,2026
SpaceX said to weigh dual-class IPO shares to empower Musk - Fortune

The US rocket and satellite maker is also in the process of adding ... “Launch could drive SpaceX's biggest gains in 2026, with Falcon ...

Feb 14,2026
Falcon 9 launch of 24 Starlink satellites from Vandenberg SFB scheduled for Saturday

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. (KEYT) – A Falcon 9 launch of 24 Starlink satellites destined for low-Earth orbit is scheduled from Vandenberg ...

Feb 14,2026
Satellite signatures of the NASA/SpaceX Crew 12 launch

By Scott Bachmeier • 13 February 2026. 16-panel display of 30-second GOES-19 images from all 16 ABI spectral bands, from 1014-1020 UTC on 13 ...

Feb 14,2026
Successful launch of Ariane-6 rocket puts 32 Amazon Leo satellites into orbit | MarketScreener

... images-2260781238.jpg"/>. © The Content Exchange, source News. © Acquiremedia - 2026. Share. Latest news about Amazon.com, Inc. Instacart shares soar ...

Feb 14,2026
EU project to rival Starlink must meet buyer expectations, Eutelsat CEO says | Reuters

Starlink satellites launch from Cape Canaveral. The SpaceX Falcon 9 ... Musk's AI chatbot Grok gains US market share amid sexualized images backlash, ...

Feb 14,2026
SSA

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