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INSTRUMENTS

Explore the many instruments the European Space Agency use to observe the Earth. ESA offer data from a wide range of optical, radar, atmospheric, altimetric and gravimetric instrumentation.

  • Instrument - Imaging Spectrometers/Radiometers

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    ATSR

    The Along Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) on board ERS-1 and ERS-2 mission consisted of two instruments, an Infra-Red Radiometer and a Microwave Sounder.

  • Instrument - Positioning/Navigation

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    PRARE

    The Precise Range And Range-Rate Equipment (PRARE) was a microwave tracking system on board the ERS-1 and ERS-2 missions.

  • Instrument - Laser Ranging

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    LRR ERS

    The Laser Retro-Reflector (LRR), on board the ERS-1 and ERS-2 missions, was an optical device for accurate satellite tracking from the ground to support instrument data evaluation.

  • Instrument - Scatterometers

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    SAR (ERS)

    The Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) instrument aboard ERS-1 and ERS-2 was capable of high precision change detection of surface heights.

  • Instrument - Imaging Spectrometers/Radiometers

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    MWR (ERS)

    The microwave radiometer (MWR) instrument on board the ERS-1 and ERS-2 missions provided measurements of the integrated atmospheric water vapour column and cloud liquid water content.

  • Instrument - Scatterometers

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    WS

    The Wind Scatterometer (WS) instrument, on board the ERS-1 and ERS-2 missions, obtained information on wind speed and direction over the sea surface.

  • Instrument - Radar Altimeters

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    RA (ERS)

    The Radar Altimeter (RA) was a Ku-band (13.8 GHz) nadir-pointing active microwave sensor, on board ERS-1 and ERS-2 missions, designed to measure echoes from ocean and ice surfaces.

  • Instrument - Laser Ranging

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    LRR (Envisat)

    The LRR instrument aboard Envisat was used to accurately determine the orbital height of the satellite.

  • Instrument - Radio

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    DORIS

    DORIS was used to determine the precise location of Envisat in orbit.

  • Instrument - Spectrometers

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    SCIAMACHY

    SCIAMACHY was an instrument on board the Envisat satellite that measured atmospheric chemistry.

  • Instrument - Radar Altimeters

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    RA-2

    The RA-2 instrument aboard Envisat acquired radar altimetry data over ocean, land and ice surfaces.

  • Instrument - Imaging Spectrometers/Radiometers

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    MWR (Envisat)

    The MWR instrument, on board Envisat mission, measured integrated atmospheric water vapour column and cloud liquid water.

  • Instrument - Interferometers

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    MIPAS

    MIPAS was an atmospheric instrument carried aboard the Envisat satellite.

  • Instrument - Imaging Spectrometers/Radiometers

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    MERIS

    The MERIS instrument aboard Envisat was primarily dedicated to providing ocean colour measurements.

  • Instrument - Spectrometers

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    GOMOS

    GOMOS is a medium resolution spectrometer covering the wavelength range from 250 nm to 950 nm.

  • Instrument - Imaging Radars

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    ASAR

    ASAR ensures continuity with the image mode (SAR) and the wave mode of the ERS-1/2 AMI.

  • Instrument - Imaging Spectrometers/Radiometers

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    AATSR

    The AATSR instrument aboard Envisat was primarily designed to measure Sea Surface Temperature.

  • Instrument - Radar Altimeters

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    SIRAL

    SIRAL (SAR Interferometer Radar Altimeter) is the primary instrument onboard ESA's CryoSat mission.

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