Esa Earth Observation Satellites
Envisat was launched in 2002 with 10 instruments aboard and at eight tons is the largest civilian earth observation mission.
Esa earth observation satellites. Esa is a world leader in earth observation and remains dedicated to developing cutting edge spaceborne technology to further understand the planet improve daily lives support effect policy making for a more sustainable future and benefit businesses and the economy. Earth observation satellites vary according to the type of orbit they have the payload they carry and from the point of view of imaging instruments the spatial resolution spectral characteristics and swath width of the sensors. Weather observation and forecasting goes geostationary operational environmental satellite 17 satellites 2 in operation goes 16. More advanced imaging radar radar altimeter and temperature measuring radiometer instruments extend ers data sets.
The spot from french satellite pour l observation de la terre constellation has been supplying high resolution wide area optical imagery since 1986. All these parameters are designed at the beginning of the mission definition depending on the application the satellite mission is targeting. Envisat was esa s successor to ers. 10 satellites 5 in operation.
The goal of the sentinel program is to replace the current older earth observation missions which have reached retirement such as the ers mission or are. Envisat environmental satellite is an advanced polar orbiting earth observation satellite which provided measurements of the atmosphere ocean land and ice over 10 years of operations. All of the spot satellites provide imagery in panchromatic and multispectral bands with a swath of 60km. The last satellites spot 6 and spot 7 will assure data continuity through to 2024.
Polar operational environmental satellites. The need for information from satellites is growing at an ever increasing rate. Esa observing the earth homepage features the latest news on esa s earth observation activities missions and satellites including aeolus swarm cryosat smos and the copernicus sentinels. Esa s director of earth observation programmes josef aschbacher said covid 19 is putting society under huge strain.
The envisat satellite carried an ambitious and innovative payload that ensured the continuity of the data measurements from the ers satellites.