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
Winter Grips the Michigan Mitten - NASA Science

... satellite image as newly formed lake ice and a fresh layer of snow. The image, acquired by the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging ...

Jan 23,2026
Amarillo Topic Satellite imagery | News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News - KVII

... SATELLITE IMAGERY. Image for story: New NASA images illustrate Lake ... Image for story: Satellite photos give a bird's-eye view of Ukraine crisis.

Jan 23,2026
How Israel moved its 'Yellow Line' deeper into a shattered Gaza City neighbourhood

Beyond Al-Tuffah, the satellite imagery shows that ‍Israel has placed the blocks firmly in Hamas-controlled territory in areas across Gaza. In Khan ...

Jan 23,2026
An Extended VIIRS-like Artificial Nighttime Light Data Reconstruction (1986–2024) - Nature

Advances in using multitemporal night-time lights satellite imagery to detect, estimate, and monitor socioeconomic dynamics. Remote Sensing of ...

Jan 23,2026
Mine Lab Gold Monster: 7 Top Features For 2026 - Farmonaut

By leveraging satellite-based mineral intelligence, companies can rapidly identify high-potential gold zones using spectral analysis and AI before ...

Jan 23,2026
If you want to see compelling, interesting satellite imagery, I'm presenting at the American ...

... satellite imagery, I'm presenting at the American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting Tuesday morning. I'll showcase all the imagery from 2025's ...

Jan 23,2026
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launches satellite internet service to rival SpaceX, Amazon

Start your day with intelligence. Get The OODA Daily ... Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launches satellite internet service to rival SpaceX, Amazon.

Jan 23,2026
Show HN: isometric.nyc – giant isometric pixel art map of NYC | Hacker News

... satellite image. It's still a very cool site to play around with, but the framing is terrible. reply · azlen 3 hours ago | parent | next [–]. It ...

Jan 23,2026
One year since historic Florida winter storm - WWSB

On Jan. 22, 2025, the snowfall could be seen from outer space via satellite imagery. According to the National Weather Service, most of Northwest ...

Jan 23,2026
Satellite Yield Forecast&emdash;Earlier Insight into Corn & Soybean Yield Potential

By combining satellite imagery with agronomic intelligence, this offer helps you set expectations, manage risk, and make data-driven decisions ...

Jan 23,2026
DNV Ventures Invests in Geospatial Intelligence Leader SkyFi to Advance Data-Driven ...

Founded in Austin, USA, in 2021 by Luke Fischer and Bill Perkins, SkyFi has assembled a seasoned team with expertise spanning satellite, defense, ...

Jan 23,2026
Satellite Beach forwards ordinance to allow golf carts on designated city streets

Satellite Beach City Council heard from residents and the city's police department during the first reading of a proposed golf cart ordinance.

Jan 23,2026
'Generational' winter storm set to hit U.S. Here's why it's so significant — and dangerous

An an animated image showing a map of the United States with cloudy weather systems moving. An satellite image of weather systems over the United ...

Jan 23,2026
Spire Global Selected by AiDASH to Bring Space-Powered Weather Intelligence to ... - Business Wire

Spire Global, Inc. (NYSE: SPIR) (“Spire” or “the Company”), a global provider of satellite data, analytics and intelligence, announced it was ...

Jan 23,2026
Israel Moves 'Yellow Line' Deeper into Gaza, Displacing Thousands | APT - YouTube

Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpLEtz3H0jSfEneSdf1YKnw/join Satellite imagery and on-the-ground ...

Jan 23,2026
I found this on a satellite image of Manchester airport - Reddit

Skip to main content I found this on a satellite image of Manchester airport : r/manchester.

Jan 23,2026
Marines set up a SNAP satellite communication system [Image 23 of 23] - DVIDS

Marines set up a SNAP satellite communication system [Image 23 of 23] · CAMP LEATHERNECK, AFGHANISTAN · 04.24.2013 · Photo by Cpl. Alejandro Pena.

Jan 23,2026
Photos taken from space show an iceberg “boiling” from within: this is the silent collapse of A ...

Satellite image of iceberg A-23A in the South Atlantic showing major fractures and meltwater. A slab of ice bigger than New York City is quietly ...

Jan 23,2026
L3Harris to Provide Advanced Technology for Korean Geostationary Weather Satellite

... imaging payload for the Korea Meteorological Administration's (KMA) geostationary weather satellite, which will improve the accuracy and ...

Jan 23,2026
BlackBerry SecuSUITE | Secure Voice, Messaging, Files

Maintains encryption when crossing mobile, Wi-Fi, satellite, or public carrier networks. Security Certifications. Recognized by the Most Trusted ...

Jan 23,2026
Satellite Launches
Russia's Starlink Copy Falls Short of Production Goals, Only Six Satellites Launched

... satellite antenna on the ground in front of a military camouflage net in Kerlouan in Brittany in France on March 01 2025. (Source: Getty Images).

Jan 23,2026
Global powers brace for space warfare - Axios

Nighttime scene with two large satellite dishes emitting red light and a bright orange arc of. A Falcon 9 rocket launches from Space Launch Complex 40 ...

Jan 23,2026
NOAA Using Satellites & AI to Map Global Algal Blooms

... satellite images to detect and quantify surface floating seaweed and phytoplankton scums in global oceans. ... SWFO-L1 Launch. About. Our Mission.

Jan 23,2026
Why Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are turning to Russia to launch Sahel's first shared ...

Why Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are turning to Russia to launch Sahel's first shared telecom satellite ... [Getty Images/Stock Photo] Burkina ...

Jan 23,2026
SpaceX's Starlink dodged 300,000 satellite collisions in 2025 | New Scientist

Alan Dyer/VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images. A report ... The first Starlink satellites were launched in 2019; they now number ...

Jan 23,2026
Bolstering defenses: Russian air defense system appears at key Belarusian oil facility

... "Schemes" project of Radio Liberty, who analyzed satellite images from Planet Labs and consulted experts.

Jan 23,2026
QPS-SAR-15 SUKUNAMI-I's First Light Images | iQPS Inc.

(iQPS) released its First Light images from QPS-SAR-15, named “SUKUNAMI-I” which was launched on December 21st, 2025 JST by Rocket Lab's Electron ...

Jan 23,2026
Eastern Range ready for same day fueling of Space Launch System, Vulcan rockets

First images from Solar Orbiter mission bring sun into sharper focus ... NRO, SpaceX launch reconnaissance satellites from Vandenberg · January 16 ...

Jan 23,2026
Malaysia restores access to Musk's Grok after deepfake safeguards added - TRT World

Grok generated an estimated three million sexualised images of women and children in a matter of days, researchers said on Thursday, revealing the ...

Jan 23,2026
Scientists warn! Earth's darkness is at risk from thousands of space mirrors - Times of India

Soon after launch, they were visible to the naked eye, leaving bright streaks across telescope images. These satellite trails can ruin observations ...

Jan 23,2026
Trump-linked World Liberty Financial Partners with Spacecoin on satellite-powered DeFi

Spacecoin, which recently launched three satellites into low-Earth ... Coinbase's Kara Calvert (Paras Griffin/Getty Images). Coinbase VP says ...

Jan 23,2026
New Glenn-3 to Launch AST SpaceMobile's BlueBird Satellite - Blue Origin

Blue Origin announced that New Glenn's next mission will carry AST SpaceMobile's next-generation Block 2 BlueBird satellite to low Earth orbit.

Jan 23,2026
Bezos' Blue Origin readies 6-terabit super satellite constellation - Light Reading

Blue Origin will also provide a way to get the satellites into orbit, given its lineup of reusable launch vehicles. Those include New Shepard ...

Jan 23,2026
Open Cosmos Takes First Major Step Towards Its Low Earth Orbit Constellation With ...

... Satellite Launch. 07:15 - 22 Jan 2026. Contributed by: GlobeNewswire. Open Cosmos satellites successfully deployed into a 1050km circular Earth orbit.

Jan 23,2026
The Chinese satellites SpaceX says were on collision course with Starlink

The largest culprit was Hongqing Technology's Honghu-2 satellite, which accounted for 1,143 such manoeuvres. The experimental satellite was launched ...

Jan 23,2026
Open Cosmos Sees First Two Satellites Launched in Broadband Constellation

Imagery and Sensing Ukraine Expands SAR Collaboration With Iceye ... The first two satellites in Open Cosmos' Ka-band satellite constellation have ...

Jan 23,2026
Eutelsat, Gogo, Immfly Debut IFC Solution With OneWeb - Via Satellite

Imagery and Sensing BlackSky Reports Gen-3 Pilot Customers Signing Renewal Deals · Launch French Launch Startup Wins Breakthrough Eutelsat Launch Deal.

Jan 23,2026
UQ aerospace grad's 'giant leap' towards stellar career - News - The University of Queensland

... satellite group in California to get it launched,” Mr Heffernan said. ... “In terms of Earth observation satellites, this could mean real-time imagery ...

Jan 23,2026
Blastoff! SpaceX launches 25 Starlink satellites from California, nails landing - YouTube

A SpaceX Falcon 9 launched 25 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Jan, ...

Jan 23,2026
L3Harris to supply imager for Korean geostationary weather satellite

For as little as $3 per month get Ad-Free access to the Space Launch Schedule website. Your support goes toward Space Launch Schedule app and website ...

Jan 23,2026
EO-MSI
Commercial Satellite Imaging Market is Projected to Grow USD - openPR.com

Maxar Technologies Inc. • Planet Labs Inc. • Skylab Analytics • SpaceKnow Inc. • Satellogic Inc. • ImageSat International N.V. • Capella Space ...

Jan 23,2026
SpaceX is counting down to lead the biggest IPO in history. - NeoFeed

NeoFeed: Negócios, Empreendedorismo, Startups e Inovação. icon search ... satellite internet service motivated the change in strategy. Having ...

Jan 23,2026
Follow the Artemis II mission | Airbus

The Artemis II launch is getting closer: Captured from orbit by our Pléiades Neo satellite, this high-resolution image shows the Space Launch ...

Jan 23,2026
SatVu brings national security veteran in as CTO - SPACE & DEFENSE

... BlackSky, Chief Executive Officer at Cognitive Space and Chief Product Officer at Maxar. ... satellite operations as the company's constellation ...

Jan 23,2026
Yellowstone's uplift is back as ground near Norris Geyser Basin shifts slightly | News

American Legion Baseball · AP Winter Olympics · Outdoors · Arts ... Interferogram created from satellite radar data collected on Oct.7, 2024, and Oct.

Jan 23,2026
Aurora Borealis Over North America - NASA Earthdata

Visit Worldview to visualize near real-time imagery and historical imagery from NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS); find ...

Jan 23,2026
A Look At Planet Labs (PL) Valuation After Swedish Defense Deal And Owl Constellation Plans

... constellation. See our latest analysis for Planet Labs PBC. The ... OOO97 on Neo Performance Materials · 21 days ago. Undervalued Key Player ...

Jan 23,2026
Tomorrow.io Plans New Weather Monitoring Constellation Called DeepSky - Via Satellite

Imagery and Sensing BlackSky Reports Gen-3 Pilot Customers Signing Renewal Deals ... At this point, the company is not disclosing the number of ...

Jan 23,2026
Open Cosmos Sees First Two Satellites Launched in Broadband Constellation

Imagery and Sensing BlackSky Reports Gen-3 Pilot Customers Signing Renewal Deals ... satellite constellation. The spectrum rights, previously ...

Jan 23,2026
Why R&D Spending Is Central to Planet Labs' Long-Term Profitability - TradingView

... satellite components. These investments improve scale, broaden markets, and support long-term margin expansion. BlackSky's R&D strengthens rapid ...

Jan 23,2026
Why R&D Spending Is Central to Planet Labs' Long-Term Profitability - Finviz

... satellite technologies. These efforts strengthen fleet operations ... BlackSky's R&D strengthens rapid-revisit imaging, AI-driven analytics ...

Jan 23,2026
Segmentation Analysis, Market Trends, and Competitive - openPR.com

... Maxar Technologies Inc, OHB System AG, Airbus Defence and Space, ICEYE Ltd., Planet Labs PBC, Surrey Satellite Technology Limited, Spire Global ...

Jan 23,2026
SatVu appoints Scott Herman as CTO - ADS Advance

... BlackSky, CEO of Cognitive Space and Chief Product Officer at Maxar. He ... Reinicke also assumes oversight of satellite operations as the constellation ...

Jan 23,2026
NASA: Satellite Image Shows Kamchatka, Russia, Buried by 19 Feet of Snow - SnowBrains

NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Story by Adam Voiland. Posted by.

Jan 23,2026
SAR
Luxembourg Greenlights a Second GovSat Satellite Towards National, EU and NATO Security Efforts

Luxembourg's Chamber of Deputies has authorized the financing for the acquisition, launch and operation of the GovSat-2 satellite. ... SSC and ICEYE ...

Jan 23,2026
Rocket Lab delivers mission success on first launch of 2026 for new customer: Open Cosmos

Open Cosmos, a pan-European space technology company, offers complete end-to-end satellite ... AXA and ICEYE strike 'landmark' deal to use ultra ...

Jan 23,2026
4 Takeaways: Quilty Space Provides a 2025 Year in Review

Blue Origin: We're building a 5,408-satellite constellation in LEO and MEO orbit for corporate, government connectivity ... 4 Takeaways: Umbra on How ...

Jan 23,2026
In Brief: Ukraine Expands Iceye SAR Imagery Use For Tactical Application - Aviation Week

Ukraine and Iceye have signed an agreement to expand the embattled country's access to high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite ...

Jan 23,2026
Chunghwa Telecom Expands MEO Satellite Connectivity in Taiwan - The Fast Mode

... satellite operator based in Luxembourg, to establish North Asia's ... ICEYE Secure €1.7B German Armed Forces SAR Satellite Contract · SES, Abra ...

Jan 23,2026
Tomorrow.io Plans New Weather Monitoring Constellation Called DeepSky - Via Satellite

Imagery and Sensing Ukraine Expands SAR Collaboration With Iceye ... At this point, the company is not disclosing the number of satellites that will ...

Jan 23,2026
Open Cosmos Sees First Two Satellites Launched in Broadband Constellation

Imagery and Sensing Ukraine Expands SAR Collaboration With Iceye ... satellite constellation. The spectrum rights, previously held by Rivada ...

Jan 23,2026
Eutelsat, Gogo, Immfly Debut IFC Solution With OneWeb - Via Satellite

Imagery and Sensing Ukraine Expands SAR Collaboration With Iceye ... It will leverage Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity from OneWeb ...

Jan 23,2026
AXA platform partners with ICEYE for satellite-based extreme weather tracking

ICEYE satellite data will be used to monitor floods, fires and storms as it expands predictive risk services. AXA DCP, which uses AI to assess threats ...

Jan 23,2026
Textron Systems to produce 65 COMMANDO Select Mobile Strike Force Vehicles for ...

Ukraine and ICEYE sign expanded agreement to provide high-resolution SAR satellite imagery for defence use · The Dutch defence company Destinus has ...

Jan 23,2026
Ukraine Expands Access to ICEYE High-Resolution SAR Satellite Imagery - Odessa Journal

Ukraine's Ministry of Defense gains broader access to ICEYE SAR satellite imagery, enhancing real-time intelligence for faster, informed military ...

Jan 23,2026
Swiss satellite maker SWISSto12 secures €73M in funding from ESA - AeroTime

Ukraine has expanded its cooperation with Finnish synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite operator ICEYE under a new agreement… NASA Crew 11 ...

Jan 23,2026
AMGTA Announces EOS as New Principal Member and Appoints Björn Hannappel to Board ...

The Additive Manufacturer Green Trade Association (AMGTA) today announced that EOS has elevated its longstanding participation in the association to ...

Jan 23,2026
HSI
ISRO | India Building Its First Private Earth Observation Satellite Constellation | 4K | N18G

A Pixxel-led consortium has formally signed an agreement with the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) to build and ...

Jan 23,2026
IN-SPACe to build 1st private Earth observation satellite constellation - Bizz Buzz

Led by Pixxel, the consortium -- named Allied Orbits -- comprises Pixxel, Dhruva Space, PierSight, and Satsure. The space startups will design, build, ...

Jan 23,2026
Bezos's Blue Origin to launch 5,408-satellite TeraWave to rival Musk's Starlink - MSN

... Pixxel deal | playIndicator. News18. India launches first private Earth observation network with 12 satellites in ISRO-Pixxel deal | 4K. 7. Review ...

Jan 23,2026
Deal: Trilegal advised Pixxel on INR 1200 crore+ PPP Project with IN-SPACe to build an ...

The consortium, consisting of Pixxel and its industry peers, SatSure, PierSight, and Dhruva Space, will build a constellation of 12 earth observation ...

Jan 23,2026
India Launches First Private Earth Observation Network With 12 Satellites In ISRO-Pixxel Deal | 4K

India has achieved a major space milestone with its first private Earth observation satellite network. ISRO's commercial arm In-Space has signed a ...

Jan 23,2026
Trilegal advised Pixxel on INR 1,200 crore+ PPP Project with IN-SPACe to build an Indian ...

The consortium, consisting of Pixxel and its industry peers, SatSure, PierSight, and Dhruva Space, will build a constellation of 12 earth observation ...

Jan 23,2026
"The Pixxel-led consortium signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Indian National ...

... satellite constellation. The other partners in the consortium that will ... Pixxel-led group inks pact with INSPACe for commercial satellite ...

Jan 23,2026
Pixxel-Led Consortium Signs Agreement with IN-SPACe to Build India's National EO Constellation

Leading a consortium of four Indian space companies, Pixxel will design, build, own, and operate the country's first privately-led national satellite ...

Jan 23,2026
Pixxel-led group signs pact with IN-SPACe for India's 1st commercial EO constellation

India's first privately-built national earth observation (EO) constellation is set to take shape with the first satellite launches expected next ...

Jan 23,2026
Space Tech trends shaping 2026 | Science News - News9live

Pixxel's Firefly constellation, that was completed last year, can be ... Bhati says, “Satellite-to-satellite communication, including early ...

Jan 23,2026
Bangladesh captain Litton Das halts reporter mid-question amid BCB's T20 World Cup standoff

Escape and unwind with Early 2025 Deals. Sponsored. India to get new Earth observation satellite constellation led by Pixxel consortium. India Today.

Jan 23,2026
SSA

Questions about Commercial Innovation Center (CIC)