Policy and technical issues of common interest related to the whole spectrum of Earth observation satellite missions and data received from such are addressed. The user community benefits directly from this international coordination. Members are those national and international government agencies with funding and program responsibilities for a satellite Earth observation program currently operating or in the later stages of system development. Governmental entities with a space-based Earth observation program in the early stages of development or with a significant ground segment activity that supports CEOS member agency programs may be invited to participate as an observer.
Current observers are agencies from Belgium, Canada, New Zealand, and Norway.
Affiliate status for other international satellite coordination groups and for international scientific and intergovernmental bodies was approved by CEOS members in November 1990. U.N. Environment Programme, U.N. Office of Outer Space Affairs, World Climate Research Program, and World Meteorological Organization have been affiliated with CEOS and participate in CEOS plenary and working group meetings. CEOS Plenary meets once a year to pursue coordination, receive progress reports and provide direction to its technical working groups, which each meet up to two times a year. The Calibration and Validation Working Group has developed a dossier providing information on instruments, laboratories, and test sites, and is conducting a number of validation projects. The CEOS Working Group on Information Systems and Services facilitates data and information management and services.