On the 10th of June, the European Union revealed the highly anticipated Destination Earth system, a project with the ambitious goal of creating a digital replica of our planet. This innovative system, a flagship initiative of the European Commission, aims to accurately model and monitor natural and human activities, predict weather and climate phenomena, and test scenarios for more sustainable development.
The core element of the Destination Earth system, known as Data Lake, is being provided by CloudFerro, a prominent Polish cloud services provider. This extensive repository of data, managed by EUMETSAT, is expected to establish a scalable service framework for federating different data spaces, delivering cloud computing, and providing storage services in close proximity to Destination Earth data.
Destination Earth is a collaborative effort involving partnering organizations such as EUMETSAT, ESA, and ECMWF, each contributing their expertise to realize the long-term goal of creating a digital twin of the Earth. The digital twin will enable scientists to model the entire Earth system with unparalleled accuracy, providing a deeper understanding of our planet and its complex ecosystems.
The system, launched on June 10th at a grand event in Kajaani, Finland, is comprised of three key elements: the Core Service Platform operated by ESA, Digital Twins managed by ECMWF, and the DestinE Data Lake managed by EUMETSAT. The latter serves as a multi-cloud inventory of massive amounts of data and forms the cornerstone of the entire Destination Earth system.
The Data Lake is designed to provide seamless access to a wide range of data specified in Destination Earth’s data portfolio, including data from various external sources, Digital Twins, and applications residing on the DestinE Core Service Platform. This extensive collection of data will include information from Earth Observation satellite systems, Copernicus Sentinel satellites, and other relevant European data providers.
CloudFerro, as the prime contractor for EUMETSAT, is spearheading the development and operation of the Data Lake project, which is designed to store over several dozen PB of data across multiple data centres in Europe. These data centres, located in Poland, Finland, Italy, Spain, and Germany, will also host powerful computing facilities to support digital modeling and data processing.
In collaboration with European partners and under the umbrella of the European Commission’s Digital Europe programme, CloudFerro is delivering cloud infrastructure, big data processing services, and harmonised data access to simplify data discovery and access to various digital twins and public data sources.
The Destination Earth system is a transformative initiative with broad-reaching implications for scientific research, public sector applications, and commercial enterprises. With the first DestinE services set to be utilised by the public sector, the project anticipates a full implementation by 2033, making it accessible to scientists, researchers, and the general public.
CloudFerro, with its extensive experience in Earth observation data platforms and cloud computing, is well-positioned to contribute to the success of the Destination Earth system. The company’s track record of working with leading European organisations and scientific institutions highlights its crucial role in supporting initiatives aimed at understanding and preserving our planet.
In conclusion, the launch of the Destination Earth system marks a significant step towards a more informed and sustainable future. With its advanced capabilities and the collaborative efforts of various European organisations, the project promises to revolutionise our understanding of the Earth and pave the way for more effective solutions to environmental and societal challenges.