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News - Thematic area articles
Global understanding of Earth's land surfaces greatly boosted by satellite data
ESA perform land surface monitoring with a range of instruments onboard satellites acquiring optical and radar data. Collections of data from these missions are freely available for research purposes.
News - Success Stories
New worldwide dataset captures the planet in fine detail
Scientists have developed an open source planetwide dataset of high-resolution Earth observation imagery, thanks to commercial data delivered by ESA’s Third Party Missions (TPM) programme.
Event - Training
EO Summer School 3
ESA's series of summer schools, on Monitoring of the Earth System, aims to promote the exploitation of Earth observation data.
News - Data Release news
New Landsat-8 Collection-2 Level 1 and Level 2 data now available
Within ESA’s Landsat offering, access to the European coverage of Landsat-8 Collection-2 Level 1 and Level 2 data is now available.
Data - Data Description
Landsat 8 Collection 2 European Coverage
This dataset contains the European Coverage of Landsat-8 Collection 2 data, both Level 1 and Level 2, since the beginning of the mission. Landsat-8 Collection 2 is the result of reprocessing effort on the archive and on fresh products with significant improvement with respect to Collection 1 on data quality, obtained by means of advancements in data processing and algorithm development. The primary characteristic is a relevant improvement in the absolute geolocation accuracy (now re-baselined to the European Space Agency Copernicus Sentinel-2 Global Reference Image, GRI) but includes also updated digital elevation modelling sources, improved Radiometric Calibration (even correction for the TIRS striping effect), enhanced Quality Assessment Bands, updated and consistent metadata files and usage of Cloud Optimized Georeferenced (COG) Tagged Image File Format. Landsat-8 level 1 products combine data from the 2 Landsat instruments, OLI and TIRS. The level 1 products generated can be either L1TP or L1GT: L1TP - Level 1 Precision Terrain (Corrected) (L1T) products: Radiometrically calibrated and orthorectified using ground control points (GCPs) and digital elevation model (DEM) data to correct for relief displacement. The highest quality Level-1 products suitable for pixel-level time series analysis. GCPs used for L1TP correction are derived from the Global Land Survey 2000 (GLS2000) data set. L1GT - Level 1 Systematic Terrain (Corrected) (L1GT) products: L1GT data products consist of L0 product data with systematic radiometric, geometric and terrain corrections applied and resampled for registration to a cartographic projection, referenced to the WGS84, G873, or current version. The dissemination server contains three different classes of Level1 products Real Time (RT): Newly acquired Landsat-8 OLI/TIRS data are processed upon downlink but use an initial TIRS line-of-sight model parameters; the data is made available in less than 12 hours (4-6 hours typically). Once the data have been reprocessed with the refined TIRS parameters, the products are transitioned to either Tier 1 or Tier 2 and removed from the Real-Time tier (in 14-16 days). Tier 1 (T1): Landsat scenes with the highest available data quality are placed into Tier 1 and are considered suitable for time-series analysis. Tier 1 includes Level-1 Precision and Terrain (L1TP) corrected data that have well-characterized radiometry and are inter-calibrated across the different Landsat instruments. The georegistration of Tier 1 scenes is consistent and within prescribed image-to-image tolerances of ≦ 12-meter radial root mean square error (RMSE). Tier 2 (T2): Landsat scenes not meeting Tier 1 criteria during processing are assigned to Tier 2. Tier 2 scenes adhere to the same radiometric standard as Tier 1 scenes, but do not meet the Tier 1 geometry specification due to less accurate orbital information (specific to older Landsat sensors), significant cloud cover, insufficient ground control, or other factors. This includes Systematic Terrain (L1GT) and Systematic (L1GS) processed data. Landsat-8 level 2 products are generated from L1GT and L1TP Level 1 products that meet the <76 degrees Solar Zenith Angle constraint and include the required auxiliary data inputs to generate a scientifically viable product. The data are available a couple of days after the Level1 T1/T2. The level 2 products generated can be L2SP or L2SR: L2SP - Level 2 Science Products (L2SP) products: include Surface Reflectance (SR), Surface Temperature (ST), ST intermediate bands, an angle coefficients file, and Quality Assessment (QA) Bands. L2SR - Level 2 Surface Reflectance (L2SR) products: include Surface Reflectance (SR), an angle coefficients file, and Quality Assessment (QA) Bands; it is generated if ST could not be generated Two different categories of Level 1 products are offered: LC with Optical, Thermal and Quality Map images, LO with Optical and Quality Map images (Thermal not available). For the Level 2 data, only LC combined products are generated
Event - Workshop
Fringe 2003 Workshop
The third ESA International Workshop on ERS SAR Interferometry and its first Workshop on ASAR interferometry: Advances in SAR interferometry from ERS and Envisat missions.
News - Data Release news
New Landsat-8 Collection-2 Level 1 and Level 2 data available from January
From the beginning of 2022, ESA will start the distribution of the European coverage of Landsat-8 Collection-2 Level 1 and Level 2 products.
Event - Workshop
Space and the Arctic 2009 Workshop
Temperatures in the Arctic are rising at an unprecedented rate. This workshop looked at the needs and challenges of working and living in the rapidly changing Arctic and explore how space-based services might help to meet those needs.
News - Infographics
An overview of ESA's Third Party Missions programme
ESA’s Third Party Missions programme consists of almost 50 satellite missions, which are owned by organisations around the world. ESA has agreements with these organisations to acquire, process, and distribute data from their missions
News - Events and Proceedings
Φ-Week Triumphs
In its fourth edition, Φ-Week presented the scientific community with amazing opportunities and projects—thus running alongside innovation at 360 degrees.
Data - Data Description
SPOT-6 to 7 full archive and tasking
The SPOT 6 and 7 satellites ensure data continuity with the no longer operational SPOT 5 satellite and provide an archive of very high resolution optical acquisition as well as the possibility to task the satellites for new acquisitions. Following the completion of the SPOT 7 mission in March 2023, new acquisition tasking is only available for the SPOT 6 satellite. The ortho-products are automatically generated by the SPOT 6 and 7 ground segment, based on SRTM database or Reference3D when available. The projection available for SPOT 6 and 7 ortho-products is UTM, datum WGS84. Bands combinations: Pansharpened: colour image at 1.5 m resolution Bundle: 1.5 m panchromatic image and 6 m multispectral image Geometric processing levels: Primary: The Primary product is the processing level closest to the natural image acquired by the sensor. This product restores perfect collection conditions: the sensor is placed in rectilinear geometry, and the image is clear of all radiometric distortion. Standard Ortho: The Ortho product is a georeferenced image in Earth geometry, corrected from acquisition and terrain off-nadir effects. Tailored ortho: Aside from the Standard Ortho product, when different specifications are needed, a custom orthorectification, with a more precise 3D model provided by the client or acquired for the purpose, can be provided on demand.
Event - Training
4th Advanced Training Course in Land Remote Sensing
ESA organised the 4th Advanced Training Course in Land Remote Sensing which took place in Athens, Greece from 1 to 5 July 2013
Data - Data Description
TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X full archive and tasking
TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X full archive and new tasking products can be acquired in six image modes with flexible resolutions (from 0.25 m to 40 m) and scene sizes and are provided in different packages: Staring SpotLight (basic, Interferometric pack, and Maritime pack) High Resolution SpotLight (basic, Interferometric pack, and Maritime pack) SpotLight (basic, Interferometric pack, and Maritime pack) StripMap (basic, Interferometric pack, and Maritime pack) ScanSAR (basic and Maritime pack) Wide ScanSAR (basic and Maritime pack) Product Overview Products SAR-ST SAR-HS SAR-SL SAR-SM SAR-SC SAR-WS Instrument mode Staring Spotlight High Resolution SpotLight SpotLight StripMap ScanSAR Wide ScanSAR Available resolutions (up to) 0.25 m 1 m 2 m 3 m 18 m 40 m Scene size 4x3.7 km2 10x5 km2 10x10 km2 30x50 km2 (up to 30x1650) 100x150 km2 (up to 100x1650) 270x200 km2 (up to 270x1500) Available processing levels SSC (Single Look Slant Range Complex): azimuth - slant range (time domain) MGD (Multi Look Ground Range Detected): azimuth - ground range (without terrain correction) GEC (Geocoded Ellipsoid Corrected): map geometry with ellipsoidal corrections only (no terrain correction performed) EEC (Enhanced Ellipsoid Corrected): map geometry with terrain correction, using a DEM Format SSC: DLR-defined COSAR binary MGD: GeoTiff GEC: GeoTiff EEC: GeoTiff Spatial coverage Worldwide Interferometry package InSAR-ST, InSAR-HS, InSAR-SL, InSAR-SM Only SSC At least five ordered scenes within six months from first order N/A N/A Maritime Monitoring package MmSAR-ST, MmSAR-HS, MmSAR-SL, MmSAR-SM, MmSAR-SC, MmSAR-WS Only SSC, MGD, GEC At least 75% of the scene area is water More than five ordered scenes in three months The following WorldDEM products can be requested: Products Description WorldDEMcore WorldDEMcore is output of interferometric processing of StripMap data pairs without any post-processing WorldDEMTM WorldDEMTM is produced based on WorldDEMcore, representing the surface of the Earth (including buildings, infrastructure and vegetation). Hydrological consistency is ensured WorldDEM DTM In additional editing steps, WorldDEMTMis transformed into a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) representing bare Earth elevation WorldDEM Bundle Includes WorldDEMTM, WorldDEM DTM, and Quality Layers The main specifications of the WorldDEM products are: Horizontal Coordinate Reference System: World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84-G1150) Vertical Coordinate Reference System: Earth Gravitational Model 2008 (EGM2008) Absolute Horizontal Accuracy: <6 m Vertical Accuracy: 2 m Relative, 4 m Absolute Quality Layers (including water body mask) can be requested as an option with the WorldDEM and WorldDEM DTM Auxiliary Layers are delivered together with the WorldDEMcore product
Data - Data Description
TerraSAR-X ESA archive
The TerraSAR-X ESA archive collection consists of TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X products requested by ESA supported projects over their areas of interest around the world. The dataset regularly grows as ESA collects new products over the years. TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X Image Products can be acquired in 6 image modes with flexible resolutions (from 0.25m to 40m) and scene sizes. Thanks to different polarimetric combinations and processing levels the delivered imagery can be tailored specifically to meet the requirements of the application. The following list delineates the characteristics of the SAR imaging modes that are disseminated under ESA Third Party Missions (TPM). StripMap (SM): Resolution 3 m, Scene size 30x50 km2 (up to 30x1650 km2) SpotLight (SL): Resolution 2 m, Scene size 10x10 km2 Staring SpotLight (ST): Resolution 0.25m, Scene size 4x3.7 km2 High Resolution SpotLight (HS): Resolution 1 m, Scene size 10x5 km2 ScanSAR (SC): Resolution 18 m, Scene size 100x150 km2 (up to 100x1650 km2) Wide ScanSAR (WS): Resolution 40 m, Scene size 270x200 km2 (up to 270x1500 km2) The following list briefly delineates the available processing levels for the TerraSAR-X dataset: SSC (Single Look Slant Range Complex) in DLR-defined COSAR binary format MGD (Multi Look Ground Range Detected) in GeoTiff format • GEC (Geocoded Ellipsoid Corrected) in GeoTiff format EEC (Enhanced Ellipsoid Corrected in GeoTiff format Spatial coverage: Check the spatial coverage of the collection on a map available on the Third Party Missions Dissemination Service.
Data - Data Description
SPOT 6 and 7 ESA archive
The SPOT 6 and 7 ESA archive is a dataset of SPOT 6 and SPOT 7 products that ESA collected over the years. The dataset regularly grows as ESA collects new SPOT 6 and 7 products. SPOT 6 and 7 Primary and Ortho products can be available in the following modes: Panchromatic image at 1.5m resolution Pansharpened colour image at 1.5m resolution Multispectral image in 4 spectral bands at 6m resolution Bundle (1.5m panchromatic image + 6m multispectral image) Spatial coverage: Check the spatial coverage of the collection on a map available on the Third Party Missions Dissemination Service.
Campaign
BACCHUS-DOC
The BACCHUS-DOC Radar and Optical Campaign was an area mapping project of vineyards near Frascati (Italy). ESA required high resolution geo-referenced airborne SAR data of different wavelength and polarisation (preferably polarimetric).
Campaign
TerraSARSIM
The objectives of the TerraSAR SIM project were to quantify the impact of the time intervals between SAR acquisitions at different wavelengths on agricultural applications.
Mission - Third Party Missions
Landsat Series
The Landsat Series is the world's longest running system of satellites for moderate-resolution optical remote sensing for land, coastal areas and shallow waters.
Mission - Third Party Missions
Landsat-1 to Landsat-3
The Landsat-1 to 3 satellites were the first in the United States' Landsat programme, dedicated to monitoring the Earth's land mass.
Mission - Third Party Missions
SPOT
The SPOT (from French "Satellite pour l'Observation de la Terre") series of missions has been supplying high-resolution, wide-area optical imagery since 1986.