In a significant development, the United Kingdom has decided to re-engage with the European Union's Copernicus Earth observation program, providing the necessary financial backing despite the Brexit. Announced by the European Space Agency (ESA), this collaboration paves the way for several ambitious missions within the program. With this renewed commitment, thirteen new satellites are set to be completed and launched. Their deployment will facilitate critical research on climate change, enhance food production security, manage resources effectively, and protect the polar ice caps. This reinstates and expands the UK's role in the program, following agreements made roughly a year ago.

Diverse Mission Objectives

Among the newly secured missions is CO2M, which involves a trio of satellites tasked with measuring atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen dioxide. The primary goal here is to identify key emission sources and monitor compliance with the Paris Agreement. Another mission, CIMR, will use two satellites to observe sea ice coverage and ocean surface temperatures. Similarly, the CHIME mission, consisting of two satellites, aims to support agriculture through data on plant health and yield forecasts, while LSTM will help in large-scale water management. The CRISTAL mission will use two satellites to measure ice thickness, and ROSE-L will assess soil moisture content and subsidence levels using two satellites. These missions collectively aim to deliver a comprehensive array of precise data on our planet's state.

Expanding Satellite Data Access

Currently, the Copernicus program operates with nine Sentinel satellites in orbit, organized into six core groups. These satellites continuously gather and provide free, online data about Earth's surface, oceans, atmosphere, and climate change, including regular satellite imagery with up to 10-meter resolution. The expansion missions will also ensure open and freely accessible data, contributing to the already vast collection of dozens of petabytes available on a centralized platform.

This development, covered by heise online, underscores the continued international collaboration necessary for advanced scientific research and climate monitoring.