About the event
As cloud-native technologies become the new standard in Earth observation, the Living Planet Symposium 2025 provided a timely opportunity to discover how the EOPF Sentinel Zarr Samples Service is reshaping access to Copernicus Sentinel data. From 23 to 26 June, visitors to the EO Arena could explore the service through two live demonstrations, highlighting the potential of the Zarr data format to support scalable, efficient and flexible geospatial workflows in the cloud.
A new chapter in Sentinel data access
For over a decade, Sentinel data has underpinned scientific research and operational applications across Europe and beyond. The transition to a cloud-optimised Zarr format marks a major evolution in how these data can be processed, distributed and used.
Launched by the European Space Agency (ESA), the EOPF initiative introduces a common, open and cloud-native format that prepares Sentinel data for the next generation of users and applications. Supporting this transition is the EOPF Sentinel Zarr Samples Service, delivered by a consortium of EO technology experts working to demonstrate the real-world benefits of the new format.
Live demonstrations
Leveraging Sentinel Zarr data
Konstantin Ntokas (Brockmann Consult) · 23 June, 15:07 · 20 minutes · EO Arena
This session introduced how the Samples Service generates and delivers Sentinel products in the Zarr format, making it easier to scale up data access and analysis. It covered:
- Seamless access to Sentinel Zarr products through an xarray backend, including features like spatially aligned Sentinel-2 bands
- Discovery and on-the-fly processing using the STAC API and xcube data store
- Interactive analysis and visualisation with tools that support subsetting, resampling, reprojection and basic analytics such as band math and time series
- A practical Python-based walkthrough, showing how to work with the new format from start to finish
Exploring Copernicus Sentinel data in the new EOPF Zarr format
Michele Claus (EURAC) · 24 June, 16:07 · 20 minutes · EO Arena
The second session focused on the broader implications of the transition from the traditional SAFE format to Zarr, showing how cloud-native access methods make EO data faster, more flexible and easier to integrate into modern workflows. Highlights included:
- How the Zarr format is structured and why it’s well suited for large-scale EO applications
- Using STAC and S3 APIs for streamlined access
- Working with EO data interactively in Jupyter Notebooks
- Running scalable workflows in cloud environments
- Open discussion on future improvements to the service
Conference talk
Inside EOPF Sentinel Zarr Samples: An Initial Operational Snapshot
Christoph Reimer (EODC) · 26 June, 14:00 · Room 0.14
Part of the session Towards Modernized Copernicus Data: Enabling Interoperability through EOPF Principles and Advanced Data Access Strategies, this talk gave insights into the broader framework behind the Sentinel Zarr evolution and how it supports interoperable, cloud-native Earth observation.
Booth sessions
The team met visitors in small group sessions (1:1 / 1:5 format) throughout the week to explore practical use cases, tools and technical insights.
| Date & time | Booth | Session |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun, 09:30 | COP | EOPF Sentinel Future Format – Introduction to Zarr (EODC) |
| 23 Jun, 10:30 | COP | EOPF Zarr Plugins (Brockmann Consult) |
| 24 Jun, 09:30 | EOF | EOPF Zarr Plugins (Brockmann Consult) |
| 24 Jun, 11:30 | COP | EOPF Zarr Cloud Native Access Use Cases (Simula / Ifremer) |
| 25 Jun, 09:00 | EOF | EOPF Sentinel Future Format – Introduction to Zarr (EODC) |
| 26 Jun, 13:00 | EOF | EOPF Zarr Cloud Native Access Use Cases (EURAC) |
| 27 Jun, 13:00 | COP | EOPF Sentinel Future Format – Introduction to Zarr (EODC) |
Enabling cloud-native Earth observation
The EOPF Sentinel Zarr Samples Service is more than a technical upgrade – it’s a vision for the future of Earth observation. By enabling fast, user-friendly access to vast amounts of Sentinel data, it helps reduce technical barriers, encourage innovation and support a wider range of users and applications. The full programme of the event is available on the LPS 2025 website.