ESA Earth Observation Processing Framework

Sentinel satellite data,
reimagined for the cloud

ESA is transitioning Copernicus Sentinel products from legacy SAFE archives to Zarr — a cloud-native format built for scalable, interoperable Earth observation science. Explore sample data and start working with the new format today.

Browse the data →

The format transition

From mission-specific archives to one cloud-native model

Legacy format

ESA SAFE / ZIP

File-based archive (ZIP + XML)
Full download required
Mission-specific structure
Not cloud-optimised

→

New format

EOPF Zarr

Chunked, cloud-native arrays
Lazy access — no full download
Harmonised across missions
Works directly with xarray, Python

Getting started

Four steps to your first analysis

No setup required for cloud access. Use your existing CDSE account.

Create a CDSE account

Authentication uses your Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem identity. Register for free if you don't have one.

→ Register on CDSE

Browse products via the STAC browser

Explore S1, S2, S3 products. Filter by mission, date, and geographic area. Each item links directly to its Zarr store.

→ Open STAC browser

Open the Analytics Hub (JupyterHub + Dask)

Launch a pre-configured environment with all EOPF plugins installed. Process data in the cloud — no downloads needed.

→ Find more information

Run a sample notebook

Start from a curated notebook — vegetation index, SAR backscatter, ocean colour. Available in Python, Julia, and more.

→ Browse notebook gallery

Capabilities

What the EOPF Sentinel Zarr Samples Service provides

Harmonised data formats across Sentinel-1, 2, and 3 missions in a shared metamodel

Scalable cloud processing via JupyterHub and Dask clusters — no local download required

Open-source plugin ecosystem for xarray, GDAL, xcube, SNAP, and Julia

Structured discovery via STAC API and STAC Browser with metadata per product

Interactive notebooks covering use cases across Python, Julia, and more

Format specification links to the published specs for S1, S2, S3 product families

Choose your path

Who is this for?

Pick the profile closest to yours to find the most relevant entry point.

Earth Scientist

Process Sentinel data for research and validate that the new format works with your workflows.

→ Browse the notebook gallery

Software Developer

Build tools or services integrating EOPF Zarr via xarray, GDAL, SNAP, or Julia.

→ Explore plugins & API

Programme Manager

Evaluate the transition for your organisation by reading more about the architecture and roadmap.

→ Learn more

Sentinel satellite data,reimagined for the cloud