Europe puts into orbit two Earth observation satellites
The two satellites, designed to better detect extreme weather events linked to climate change, were placed into a sun-synchronous orbit nearly two hours after liftoff.
The European Space Agency has successfully launched two Earth observation satellites into orbit from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana. The mission, carried out by the European Vega-C rocket, aimed to improve the detection of extreme weather events related to climate change. The first satellite, designated Flex, will gather data on the impact of heatwaves on plant matter.
By monitoring fluorescence, or the red light emitted by plants during photosynthesis, the Flex program hopes to establish the connection between plant stress and fluorescence, as well as quantify it. The second satellite, Sentinel-3C, is part of the EU's Copernicus Earth observation programme. Its primary function is to measure various aspects of the marine environment, such as temperature, wave height, and ocean currents, as well as land use and land cover.
These measurements will help optimize yields and prevent potential food crises. Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programmes at the ESA, emphasized the importance of such missions in addressing the climate change challenges we currently face.
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