# PDS -- Planetary Data System

PDS is a format used primarily by NASA to store and distribute solar, lunar and planetary imagery data. GDAL provides read-only access to PDS formatted imagery data.

PDS files often have the extension .img, sometimes with an associated .lbl (label) file. When a .lbl file exists it should be used as the dataset name rather than the .img file.

In addition to support for most PDS imagery configurations, this driver also reads georeferencing and coordinate system information as well as selected other header metadata.

Implementation of this driver was supported by the United States Geological Survey.

Due to abiguitities in the PDS specification, the georeferencing of some products is subtly or grossly incorrect. There are configuration variables which may be set for these products to correct the interpretation of the georeferencing. Some details are available in ticket #3940.

PDS is part of a family of related formats including ISIS2 and ISIS3.

## See Also:

- Implemented as `gdal/frmts/pds/pdsdataset.cpp`.
- NASA Planetary Data System
- GDAL ISIS2 Driver
- GDAL ISIS3 Driver