PDS4: A model-driven planetary science data architecture for long-term preservation

The goal of the Planetary Data System (PDS) is the digital preservation of scientific data for long-term use by the scientific research community. After two decades of successful operation, the PDS found itself in a new era of big data, international cooperation, distributed nodes, and multiple ways of analysing and interpreting data. A project was formed to develop a disciplined architectural approach that would drive the design and implementation of a scalable data system that could evolve to meet the demands of this new era. PDS4, the next generation system, uses an explicit model-driven architectural approach coupled with modern information technologies and standards to meet these challenges in order to ensure the planetary data assets can be mined for scientific knowledge for years to come.