DAY 14
OBSERVE THE PLANET LIKE A SCIENTIST
Satellite technologies help us understand our changing world
As our planet goes through unprecedented changes, understanding and predicting them has never been more important.
To do this, it is essential to view the Earth from a different perspective.
In February 1986 Airbus Defence and Space launched Spot-1, its first Earth observation satellite.
Since then, Airbus has worked closely with the European Space Agency, the European Commission and EUMETSAT to successfully build and launch over 50 unique satellites. Once operational, they conduct vital work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
From polar orbit, these satellites have helped us understand the systems that impact lives here on Earth...
The SPOT satellites were launched to deliver basic, rapid, high quality imagery.
Mackenzie River, Canada, from SPOT-5.
The Sentinel-1 radar satellites track the movement of the Earth by measuring changes to its gravitational field.
Kumamoto earthquake, interferogram of surface deformation.
The MetOp A, B and C meteorological monitoring satellites provide everyday accurate weather forecasting.
Snow in Scandinavia, from MetOp B.
The Sentinel-2 satellites monitor natural disasters such as floods, forest fires, landslides and erosion.
Kenyan Great Rift Valley, interferogram of volcanic uplift.
Airbus’ Starling service enables companies to monitor their anti-deforestation commitments.
Guinea-Bissau, from SPOT-6.
ESA’s Earth Explorer mission Aeolus is the world’s first-ever satellite to use laser instruments to study the Earth’s wind patterns from space.
Aeolus satellite.
In 2020 Airbus is set to launch its next generation of satellites: the Pléiades Neo constellation.
Able to produce resolution down to 30cm, each new satellite will add half a million km² of observation coverage every day,
They will share vital data via the SpaceDataHighway to support climate and disaster monitoring, precision farming, Google Earth images, intelligence services and much more.
