Microsoft parks Landsat and Sentinel satellite data in Azure's orbit

Microsoft has made NASA's Harmonized Landsat and Sentinel-2 (HLS) dataset available on Azure via the Windows giant's Planetary Computer platform. It seems an excellent use for all that Azure capacity – petabytes of global environmental data can be accessed through APIs or directly via Azure storage. "This flexible scientific …

[Eclectic Man]

Climate Change

It's an invaluable tool for researchers looking into climate change,

It is great news that useful data on global weather and climate change is now available publicly, especially after President Trump threatening to pull out of or disrupt attempts to include shipping in atmospheric carbon emissions rules. (https://www.eenews.net/articles/trump-says-us-wont-comply-with-carbon-ship-fee/ ):

“I am outraged that the International Maritime Organization is voting in London this week to pass a global Carbon Tax. The United States will NOT stand for this Global Green New Scam Tax on Shipping,”

And: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/10/taking-action-to-defend-america-from-the-uns-first-global-carbon-tax-the-international-maritime-organizations-imo-net-zero-framework-nzf

"Joint Statement by Secretary of State Rubio, Secretary of Energy Wright, and Secretary of Transportation Duffy

President Trump has made it clear that the United States will not accept any international environmental agreement that unduly or unfairly burdens the United States or harms the interests of the American people. Next week, members of the IMO will vote on the adoption of a so-called NZF aimed at reducing global carbon dioxide gas emissions from the international shipping sector. This will be the first time that a UN organization levies a global carbon tax on the world.

The Administration unequivocally rejects this proposal before the IMO and will not tolerate any action that increases costs for our citizens, energy providers, shipping companies and their customers, or tourists. The economic impacts from this measure could be disastrous, with some estimates forecasting global shipping costs increasing as much as 10% or more. ..."

I just hope that the data is kept available for all.

[Anonymous Coward]

It's obviously to Microsoft's benefit to use this giant dinosaurs I'm very surprised Google didn't also weigh in on it.

[Eclectic Man]

climate censorship

I'll get downvotes for this, but the Financial Times of 20 October has an article on page 20 about the Trump administration's removal of meteorological data. (The FT website is behind a paywall.)

It claims that over 30 meteorological datasets have been removed from US government web sites this year, and that cutting the funding for NOAA and the reduction in the launching of weather balloons will soon imperil forecasting of extreme weather events such as hurricanes.