The Machine-to-Machine API is a JSON-based REST API used to interact with USGS/EROS data inventories.
For approved users, this API provides mechanisms to request and retrieve data download URLs that can be used with wget, cURL and other scriptable means. Download options are the same options that a user would see in EarthExplorer.
Discover data collections, search for imagery and request metadata; using the same functions that support EarthExplorer, this API provides metadata access to all data sets within the USGS/EROS archive.
This API standardizes requests/responses across over 300 unique datasets, allowing users to develop scripts that can handle any data set they may be interested in while still accounting for the vast differences in metadata and data access options.