What is PDS?

In recent years, the Planetary Data System (PDS) has been responsible for archiving space mission data on CD-ROM media, using its own self- describing data format, variously know as PDS or ODL (Object Description Language). At least some of the current projects (e.g. Magellan, Galileo) are using the PDS format as a "pointer" to detached VICAR-format imagery on the mission CDROM volumes.