Introduction

NASA’s Planetary Data System (PDS) Geosciences Node’s Orbital Data Explorer (ODE) provides map and forms-based search, retrieve, and order function for PDS-compliant archives from a variety of spacecraft instrument observations. Mars ODE includes observations from Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), the European Space Agency’s Mars Express (MEX), Mars Odyssey, the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS), and the Viking Orbiter (VO) spacecraft. The MRO mission is characterized by very high data volumes and complex observation plans relative to previous planetary missions. Mercury ODE includes observations from the MESSENGER (Mercury Surface, Space Environment, Geochemistry and Ranging) spacecraft. Lunar ODE includes observations from the Clementine, Lunar Prospector, the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO), and ISRO's Chandrayaan-1, and Lunar Orbiter (LO) spacecraft . Venus ODE includes data from the Magellan and MESSENGER spacecraft. ODE is designed to augment the existing PDS search and retrieval interface by providing advanced search, retrieve, and order tools, integrated analysis tools, and visualization tools.

ODE provides a way to store, query, retrieve, and order PDS archive data at the product level. In general, ODE has a back-end process that loads PDS archive data from local and remote nodes into a central database. This database is then used to allow the user to find, review, and download specific products. ODE does not change PDS archives nor, in most cases, stores the actual product contents. Rather it is a tool for finding, exploring, selecting, and downloading these products.