ERS
The ERS 1 and 2 satellites are managed by the European Space Agency (ESA). They are equipped with a battery of sensors (active radar, altimeter radar, scatterometer, microwave instrument).
A wide variety of applications can thus be derived from ERS data: measures of speed and/or direction of winds and waves, depth of polar caps, etc.
ERS's active radar provides information on the C spectral band. Geological phenomena, such as faults, can thus be perfectly visualized.
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| ERS1, Honduras © Eurimage 1997 |
ERS2, Tangier © Eurimage 1999 |
Envisat
On 1st March 2002, the European Space Agency launched Envisat, an advanced polar-orbiting Earth observation satellite which will provide measurements of the atmosphere, ocean, land, and ice over a five year period.
The Envisat satellite has an ambitious and innovative payload that will ensure the continuity of the data measurements of the ESA ERS satellites. The Envisat data will support Earth science research, allow monitoring of the evolution of environmental and climatic changes, and facilitate the development of operational and commercial applications.
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| Envisat / ASAR Massive oil spill 100 km off Spanish coast © ESA 2002 |
Envisat / ASAR |
