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  • All Categories (19)
  • Data (2)
  • News (6)
  • Missions (2)
  • Events (5)
  • Tools (2)
  • Activities (2)
  • News - General News

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    ESA's improved Earth system data records: what is in store for the future?

    Fundamental Data Records (FDRs) are instrumental in advancing our understanding of Earth systems and for addressing societal challenges effectively. These long-term records contain uncertainty-quantified, calibrated and geo-located multi-instrument/multi-platform satellite sensor data spanning several decades to support climate-related applications.

  • Data - Fast Registration with approval (Restrained)

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    SkySat ESA archive

    The SkySat ESA archive collection consists of SkySat products requested by ESA supported projects over their areas of interest around the world and that ESA collected over the years. The dataset regularly grows as ESA collects new products. Two different product types are offered, Ground Sampling Distance at nadir up to 65 cm for panchromatic and up to 0.8m for multi-spectral. EO-SIP Product Type Product Description Content SSC_DEF_SC Basic and Ortho scene Level 1B 4-bands Analytic /DN Basic scene Level 1B 4-bands Panchromatic /DN Basic scene Level 1A 1-band Panchromatic DN Pre Sup resolution Basic scene Level 3B 3-bands Visual Ortho Scene Level 3B 4-bands Pansharpened Multispectral Ortho Scene Level 3B 4-bands Analytic/DN/SR Ortho Scene Level 3B 1-band Panchromatic /DN Ortho Scene SSC_DEF_CO Ortho Collect Visual 3-band Pansharpened Image Multispectral 4-band Pansharpened Image Multispectral 4-band Analytic/DN/SR Image (B, G, R, N) 1-band Panchromatic Image The Basic Scene product is uncalibrated, not radiometrically corrected for atmosphere or for any geometric distortions inherent in the imaging process: Analytic - unorthorectified, radiometrically corrected, multispectral BGRN Analytic DN - unorthorectified, multispectral BGRN Panchromatic - unorthorectified, radiometrically corrected, panchromatic (PAN) Panchromatic DN - unorthorectified, panchromatic (PAN) L1A Panchromatic DN - unorthorectified, pre-super resolution, panchromatic (PAN) The Ortho Scene product is sensor and geometrically corrected, and is projected to a cartographic map projection: Visual - orthorectified, pansharpened, and colour-corrected (using a colour curve) 3-band RGB Imagery Pansharpened Multispectral - orthorectified, pansharpened 4-band BGRN Imagery Analytic SR - orthorectified, multispectral BGRN. Atmospherically corrected Surface Reflectance product. Analytic - orthorectified, multispectral BGRN. Radiometric corrections applied to correct for any sensor artifacts and transformation to top-of-atmosphere radiance. Analytic DN - orthorectified, multispectral BGRN, uncalibrated digital number imagery product Radiometric corrections applied to correct for any sensor artifacts Panchromatic - orthorectified, radiometrically correct, panchromatic (PAN) Panchromatic DN - orthorectified, panchromatic (PAN), uncalibrated digital number imagery product The Ortho Collect product is created by composing SkySat Ortho Scenes along an imaging strip. The product may contain artifacts resulting from the composing process, particular offsets in areas of stitched source scenes. Spatial coverage: Check the spatial coverage of the collection on a map available on the Third Party Missions Dissemination Service. As per ESA policy, very high-resolution imagery of conflict areas cannot be provided.

  • News - Thematic area articles

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    Transforming space data into climate action

    ESA’s Earth observation activities are playing a key role in the revitalised global drive to combat climate change.

  • News - Data Release news

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    PlanetScope and Skysat data available through ESA’s Third Party Missions Programme

    Through ESA’s Third Party Missions Programme, researchers, scientists and companies from around the world can apply to access Planet’s high-frequency, high-resolution satellite data for non-commercial use.

  • News - Success Stories

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    Predicting crop yield using Planet data

    The world’s population continues to grow, while the climate crisis is raising Earth’s temperatures and increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events – all of which affect food security.

  • Activity - Projects

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    Dragon 2 Cooperation Programme

    The Dragon 2 Programme focussed on the exploitation of ESA, ESA's Third Party Missions and Chinese Earth observation data for science and applications development in land, ocean and atmospheric applications.

  • News - Success Stories

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    ERS Heritage Data allow for 30 years of science

    At their time of launch thirty years ago, the two ERS satellites were the most sophisticated Earth observation spacecraft ever developed and launched by Europe.

  • News - Infographics

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    ERS - ESA’s first Earth observation satellites

    To mark the 30th anniversary of ERS, we've released a new infographic summarising the mission.

  • Tools - Apps

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    Heritage Missions app for iOS

    Download the Heritage Missions application to discover what the missions were about, how it worked and what the elements of the space and ground segment that make these missions unique.

  • Tools - Apps

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    Heritage Missions app for Android

    Download the Heritage Missions application to discover what the missions were about, how it worked and what the elements of the space and ground segment that make these missions unique.

  • Data - Project Proposal (Restrained)

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    SkySat Full Archive and New Tasking

    The SkySat Level 2B Basic Scene, Level 3B Ortho Scene and Level 3B Consolidated full archive and new tasking products are available as part of Planet imagery offer. The SkySat Basic Scene product is uncalibrated and in a raw digital number format, not corrected for any geometric distortions inherent in the imaging process. Rational Polynomial Coefficients (RPCs) is provided to enable orthorectification by the user. Basic Scene Product Components and Format Processing Levels Analytic (unorthorectified, radiometrically corrected, multispectral BGRN) Analytic DN (unorthorectified, multispectral BGRN) Panchromatic DN (unorthorectified, panchromatic) Product Components and Format Image File (GeoTIFF format) Metadata File (JSON format) Rational Polynomial Coefficients (Text File) UDM File (GeoTIFF format) Image Configuration 4-band Analytic DN Image (Blue, Green, Red, NIR) 1-band Panchromatic DN Image (Pan) Ground Sampling Distance 3.7 m at nadir (average at reference altitude 475 km) Ground Sampling Distance (nadir) Panchromatic 0.86m and Multispectral 1.0m for SkySat-1&2 Panchromatic 0.65m and Multispectral 0.8m for SkySat-3 to 13 (0.72 m and 1.0m for data acquired before 30/06/2020) Accuracy <50 m RMSE The SkySat Ortho Scene is sensor- and geometrically-corrected (by using DEMs with a post spacing of between 30 and 90 meters) and is projected to a cartographic map projection; the accuracy of the product will vary from region to region based on available GCPs. Different products are available: The SkySat Visual Ortho Scene product is orthorectified, pansharpened, and color-corrected (using a color curve) 3-band RGB Imagery The SkySat Pansharpened Multispectral Scene product is orthorectified, pansharpened 4-band BGRN Imagery The SkySat Analytic DN Ortho Scene product is orthorectified, multispectral BGRN, uncalibrated, digital number imagery product. The product has been processed to remove distortions caused by terrain; It eliminates the perspective effect on the ground (not on buildings), restoring the geometry of a vertical shot. Transformation to at-sensor radiance is not included The SkySat Panchromatic DN Ortho Scene product is orthorectified, panchromatic, uncalibrated, digital number imagery product. It has a finer GSD than the Analytic Product. Transformation to at-sensor radiance is not included. The SkySat Analytic Ortho Scene are calibrated multispectral imagery products with radiometric corrections applied to correct for any sensor artifacts and transformation to top-of-atmosphere radiance. The SkySat Consolidated Product are Ortho Collect product created by composing ~60 SkySat Ortho Scenes (Visual, Pansharpened Multispectral, Analytic DN, Panchromatic DN) along an imaging strip into segments Ortho Scene Product Components and Format Visual Ortho Pansharpened Multispectral Analytic DN Ortho Panchromatic DN Ortho Analytic Ortho Product Components and Format Image File (GeoTIFF format) Metadata File (JSON format) Rational Polynomial Coefficients (Text File) UDM File (GeoTIFF format) Image File (GeoTIFF) Metadata File (JSON format) Rational Polynomial Coefficients (Text File) UDM File (GeoTIFF format) Image File (GeoTIFF format) Metadata File (JSON format) Rational Polynomial Coefficients (Text File) UDM File (GeoTIFF format) Image File (GeoTIFF format) Metadata File (JSON format) Rational Polynomial Coefficients (Text File) UDM File (GeoTIFF format) Image File (GeoTIFF format) Metadata File (JSON format) Rational Polynomial Coefficients (Text File) UDM File (GeoTIFF format) Image Configuration 3-band Pansharpened Image (PS Red, PS Green, PS Blue) 4-band Pansharpened Image (PS Blue, PS Green, PS Red, PS NIR) 4-band Analytic DN Image (B, G, R, N) 1-band Panchromatic Image 4-band Analytic Image (B, G, R, N) Ground Sampling Distance 50 cm 50 cm 50 cm 50 cm 50 cm Projection UTM WGS84 UTM WGS84 UTM WGS84 UTM WGS84 UTM WGS84 Accuracy <10 m RMSE <10 m RMSE <10 m RMSE <10 m RMSE radiometric accuracy: +/- 5% Relative accuracy at < 10 degrees off-nadir angle As per ESA policy, very high-resolution imagery of conflict areas cannot be provided.

  • Mission - Heritage Missions

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    ERS

    The ERS programme was composed of two missions, ERS-1 and ERS-2, which together observed the Earth for 20 years, from 1991 to 2011.

  • Activity - Quality

    SCIRoCCo

    The SCIRoCCo project is an interdisciplinary cooperation of scatterometry experts aimed at promoting the continuing exploitation of ESA's unique 20 years' worth of ERS Scatterometer data.

  • Mission - Third Party Missions

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    SkySat

    SkySat is a constellation of high-resolution Earth imaging satellites from the commercial company Planet Labs.

  • Event - Training

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    Advanced Training Course in Land Remote Sensing 2012

    The 2012 advanced training course focused on land remote sensing theory and applications.

  • Event - Training

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    3rd Advanced Training Course on Land Remote Sensing 2011

    This 2011 advanced ESA training course focused on land remote sensing theory and applications.

  • Event - Workshop

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    CEOS-IVOS Workshop on Inter-comparison of Large Scale Optical and Infrared Sensors

    The 2004 workshop was an opportunity to present and exchange experiences and knowledge from work on inter-comparing large scale optical sensors at different product levels.

  • Event - Workshop

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    Applications of the ERS Along Track Scanning Radiometer Workshop 1999

    The workshop on ERS mission's Along Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) instrument gathered researchers and specialists working on different applications of the mission.

  • Event - Conference

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    3rd ERS Symposium

    The ESA Directorate for Observation of the Earth and its Environment held the 3rd ERS Symposium, in 1997, where many of the results from the ERS-1 and ERS-2 missions were presented and discussed by the scientific community.