ESA's Network of Resources

Overview

The Network of Resources (NoR) is an ESA initiative that sponsors research, development, and pre-commercial projects. The NoR provides a voucher for up to €5,000 to help users innovate their working practices by using cloud computing services for geospatial data and algorithms. For more information on the NoR's mission, see What is the network of resources.

Requirements

If you're working on a geospatial-related project that doesn't generate revenue, you can apply for NoR sponsorship.

You need to have an organization email to register on the UP42 platform.

Step 1. Explore UP42's offerings

Open the UP42 listing on the NoR Discovery Portal and review the following portfolios:

• To see geospatial collections, expand the Collections Overview section.

  Optical, SAR, and elevation data can be processed either with one of the algorithms or with your custom block. In any case, the download of the original dataset isn't allowed.

• To see algorithms, expand the Service Offering Overview section.

  Processing algorithms require specific input data. Ensure a suitable data offering is selected. You will be allowed to download the processing result.

Step 2. Choose geospatial products

1. On the UP42 listing, click Pricing Wizard.
2. Select a Project Type. Commercial usage isn't permitted.
3. Choose the Service Offerings that you want to get access to and enter the size of an area or the number of products.
   • Choose data products among optical (MS), SAR, and elevation data offerings.
   • Choose processing algorithms that you'll apply to the chosen data. If you're planning to use your own algorithms, select Host your own algorithm from the list.
4. Click Ask ESA for Sponsorship.
5. Select options that apply to your project and click Open Sponsorship Form.

Step 3. Apply for sponsorship

Before filling out the sponsorship form, read the sponsorship guidelines.

1. On the sponsorship form, describe your project in detail. Check the chosen offerings and the requested voucher amount.
2. Export and sign the sponsorship request.
3. Email the signed request to [email protected]. Include the following email addresses in the CC field to speed up the evaluation process:
   • [email protected]
   • [email protected]

ESA will review your request and report the outcome of the evaluation. The evaluation usually takes a week. After a successful evaluation, our Sales team will get in contact with you.

Step 4. Create an UP42 account

You will need to create a new account for NoR purposes if you:

• Have already purchased credits with your account.
• Intend to continue using your account outside the NoR scope and plan to purchase credits in the future.

When creating an UP42 account, select the Professional plan and provide information about your organization.

If you have any questions, contact support.