Mission to Planet Earth: Who provides, controls, and owns the data?

Some of the crucial issues associated with national and international partnerships that Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE) must face in the coming years are in the areas of data policy, data rights, and international agreements. Even with strictly domestic programs, questions inevitably arise concerning who provides, controls, and owns the data and who can sell, resell, or distribute the data. With the international flavor of MTPE, the complexity of the questions will be compounded. NASA’s Commercial Remote Sensing Program at Stennis Space Center is analyzing these questions to identify regulatory frameworks, issues, opportunities, and barriers associated with partnerships and other cooperative efforts between MTPE scientists and the rest of the world.