Current Missions
117 different Earth observation satellite missions of CEOS agencies are estimated to be currently operating (late 2013). Many of these comprise series of missions planned to provide the continuity that is essential for many observations and applications. The principal satellite series are highlighted below.
Geostationary meteorological satellites
There is a worldwide network of operational geostationary meteorological satellites that provide visible and infrared images of Earth's surface and atmosphere. Countries/regions with current geostationary operational meteorological satellites are the USA (NOAA GOES series), Europe (EUMETSAT Meteosat series), Japan (JMA MTSAT series), India (IMD INSAT series), China (CMA FY series), Russia (Roshydromet GOMS/Elektro-L series), and (from June 2010) Korea (KMA COMS series).
Crustal motion and gravitational field series
A number of small satellite missions designed to measure Earth’s crustal motion and Earth’s gravitational field have been launched since 1967. The space segment typically comprises corner cube laser retroreflectors and the ground segment is a global network of transportable laser sites. The design life of the space segment is many thousands of years. These missions include the Diademe and Starlette series (CNES) and the Lageos series (NASA and ASI). More recently, missions such as GRACE (NASA/DLR) have been launched to provide high-precision measurements of Earth’s gravitational field.
DMSP series
The long-term meteorological programme of the US Department of Defense – with the objective of collecting and disseminating worldwide atmospheric, oceanographic, solar–geophysical and cloud cover data on a daily basis.
NOAA & EUMETSAT polar orbiters
Until 2006, operational polar-orbiting meteorological satellites were provided only by NOAA – with two satellites maintained in polar orbit at any one time, one in a ‘morning’ orbit and one in an ‘afternoon’ orbit. The series provides a wide range of data of interest, including sea-surface temperature, cloud cover, data for land studies (notably the AVHRR sensor), temperature and humidity profiles, and ozone concentrations (AMSU and HIRS sensor packages). Since 2006, these have been supplemented by the first of the EUMETSAT Polar System satellites, MetOp-A, offering additional measurements such as high-resolution temperature and humidity profiles, wind speed over the oceans, ozone and measurements of trace gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane. The launch of the Suomi NPP mission in 2011 serves as a precursor to NOAA's planned JPSS missions.
TOPEX/Poseidon and Jason series
These satellites form a joint NASA/CNES precision radar altimetry mission to measure ocean topography and hence the speed and direction of ocean currents. The Jason (2001) mission, and its follow-on OSTM (Jason-2, 2008), developed by NASA/CNES and operated by NOAA/EUMETSAT, provide a core contribution to GOOS. The Jason-3 mission is currently under development, planned for launch in 2015.
ERS and Envisat series
ERS-1 was launched by ESA in July 1991 (complete 2000), ERS-2 in April 1995 (complete 2011), and Envisat in March 2002 (complete April 2012). This series concentrates on global and regional environmental issues, making use of active microwave techniques that enable a range of measurements to be made of land, sea and ice surfaces, independent of cloud cover and atmospheric conditions. In addition, the ATSR/AATSR instruments on these missions provided images of the surface or cloud top and the GOME instrument on ERS-2 provided measurements of ozone levels. ERS-1 and ERS-2 operated in tandem for around 1 year in 1995 and 1996, providing data for topographic applications such as differential interferometry. Envisat has been at the forefront of European Earth science endeavours for a decade, monitoring the land, the oceans, Earth's ice cover and its atmosphere.
|
 |
IRS series
The Indian IRS satellites include three thematic series addressing the areas of: land and water resources; cartography; and ocean & atmosphere (which include the Resourcesat, Cartosat and Oceansat missions) coordinated through unique institutional framework of the National Natural Resources Management System (NNRMS). Their primary objectives are in support of agriculture, disaster management, land and water resource management, cartographic mapping and studies of ocean and atmosphere. The latest in the series are Cartosat-2A (2008), RISAT-2 (2009), Oceansat-2 (2009), Cartosat-2B (2010), Resourcesat-2 (2011), and joint with CNES, Megha-Tropiques (2011). The Indian segment was augmented with the launch of RISAT-1 and SARAL during 2012.
Meteor series
Roshydromet maintains these missions mainly for operational meteorological purposes. Other applications include experimental measurement of ozone and Earth radiation budget.
RADARSAT series
Launched in November of 1995, RADARSAT provided researchers and operational users with a range of SAR data products which are used for marine applications such as ship routing and ice forecasting as well as land applications such as resource management and geological mapping. RADARSAT-2 was launched in December 2007 to ensure data continuity, and the first in the three satellite RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) is scheduled for launch in 2018.
SPOT and Landsat series
The SPOT satellites (lead agency CNES), and the Landsat satellites (lead agency USGS) provide high-resolution imagery in a range of visible and infrared bands. They are used extensively for high-resolution land studies. Data from these satellites are supplemented by availability of very high-resolution imagery (up to 1 m) from various commercial satellites.
CBERS series
A joint mission series of China and Brazil, aimed at environmental monitoring and Earth resources. The latest in the series (CBERS-3) is planned for launch in December 2013.
Kompsat series
Korean missions aimed at cartography, land use and planning and ocean and disaster monitoring – Kompsat-1 was launched in 1999, Kompsat-2 has been in operation since 2006, with Kompsat-3 launched in 2012, Kompsat-5 launched in August 2013 and Kompsat-3A planned in 2014.
NASA’s EOS missions
Carrying the latest advanced sensors and each mission dedicated to investigation of particular Earth System issues – including the Terra, Aqua and Aura missions. NASA has also launched a number of missions aimed at developing understanding of the sun’s influence on our climate, and its variability – including the Acrimsat and SORCE programmes.
Cloud properties and climate links
Since April 2006, a multiple satellite (NASA and CNES) constellation has been in place (comprising CloudSat, Aqua, Aura, Calipso and Parasol (Parasol ended in Oct 2013)) flying in orbital formation to gather data needed to evaluate and improve the way clouds are represented in global models, and to develop a more complete knowledge of their poorly understood role in climate change and the cloud-climate feedback. The constellation was joined by JAXA’s Global Change Observation Mission – Water in 2012, and NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 will join in 2014.
Polar ice-cap studies
Given the significance of information on changes in the continental ice sheets, two missions have been dedicated to their study: NASA’s ICESat (2003-10) and ESA’s CryoSat-2 (2009). NASA is planning to launch ICESat-II in 2016.
Gravity and magnetic-field studies
The GRACE (from 2002) and GOCE (from 2009) missions are dedicated to providing more precise measurements of the geoid, while various other missions have studied Earth’s electromagnetic field in the near past: Demeter (2004-10), Kanopus-Vulkan and Vulkan-Kompas-2. A GRACE follow-on mission is planned for 2017, and a GRACE-II mission is also being considered. ESA’s Swarm constellation, to be launched Nov 2013, aims to provide the best-ever survey of the geomagnetic field and its temporal evolution, and gain new insights into improving our knowledge of Earth’s interior and climate. |
|
