Europe puts into orbit two Earth observation satellites

The European Vega-C rocket successfully launched two Earth observation satellites from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana on Tuesday at 10.21pm local time. The satellites, Sentinel-3C and Flex, were placed into a sun-synchronous orbit approximately two hours after liftoff.

Flex, also known as the Fluorescence Explorer, will monitor the impact of extreme weather events like heatwaves on plant matter. By measuring fluorescence, the red light emitted by plants during photosynthesis, the satellite aims to establish a link between plant stress and fluorescence, and quantify that stress. Thierry Huiban, the head of the Flex program, explained this at Thales Alenia Space in April.

The Sentinel-3C satellite, part of the EU's Copernicus Earth observation programme, will measure various aspects of the marine environment. This includes sea surface temperature, wave height, ocean currents, as well as land use and land cover. The data collected is crucial for optimizing agricultural yields and preventing food crises. Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programmes at the European Space Agency, emphasized the importance of such missions in addressing the climate change we are experiencing.