ESA’s Fundamental Data Records (FDR) framework is currently the main instrument to promote innovative efforts to enhance datasets from selected Heritage missions. FDR enhancement projects are addressing data quality improvement and the creation of multi-mission long time heritage data series, making them more compatible and aligned with current missions data, improving and extending their use in particular for long-term studies (for instance, climate change).

Datasets from the first two FDR projects were released in 2024, containing ERS and Envisat products dating back to 1991.

• FDR4ALT: FDR and Thematic Data Product datasets for ERS and Envisat Radar Altimeter and Microwave Radiometer products from 1991 to 2012
• FDR4ATMOS: FDR dataset for ERS-2 and Envisat atmospheric composition products from 1995 to 2012

Follow-on and additional FDR projects for other datasets are in progress.