New satellites – Sentinel-3C and FLEX – will help scientists detect wildfires, monitor water quality, understand vegetation health and more
By
Two new European satellites have been launched into space, with scientists hoping their observations will help improve understanding of environmental processes here on Earth.
The two satellites – named Sentinel-3C and FLEX – were launched aboard a Vega-C rocket from the European Spaceport in French Guiana on Tuesday (15 September).
‘Today’s launch is the culmination of years of scientific innovation, engineering excellence and international cooperation,’ said the European Space Agency’s director of Earth Observation Programmes Simonetta Cheli.
Enjoying this article? Check out our related reads…
‘Preparing and launching two satellites together is no easy task. My thanks go to the many experts who have contributed throughout both satellites’ development, testing and preparation for launch, and who have worked tirelessly to ensure that both satellites have reached orbit safely.’
Sentinel-3C will observe land and sea surface temperature, ocean and land colour, and sea-surface topography, helping scientists understand how Earth’s systems are changing. In addition, it will also observe ice and the atmosphere.
Across the Sentinel-3 family, these instruments can carry out ocean and weather forecasting, wildfire detection, and water quality monitoring. They can spot changes in the colour of the ocean surface to detect and track algal blooms, which, if left untreated, can release toxins and cause severe environmental and public health problems.
Meanwhile, FLEX is the European Space Agency’s first satellite designed specifically to measure photosynthetic activity from space. Equipped with a fluorescence imaging spectrometer, the instrument will detect the extremely faint fluorescence emitted by plants as they absorb sunlight during photosynthesis. This signal is invisible to the human eye, but provides a wealth of information to scientists – specifically on how efficiently vegetation converts sunlight and carbon dioxide into energy. In turn, these measurements will provide details on plant health, ecosystem productivity and the effects of environmental stress and climate change.
Together, the measurements taken by both satellites will give scientists an unprecedented view of the health and functioning of vegetation around the world.
Currently, around 16,000 satellites orbit Earth with various applications from GPS navigation, banking, weather forecasting and internet communications. Estimates suggest that the number of satellites orbiting the planet could exceed 100,000 within this decade, with dozens being launched every few weeks.
Back in July, Geographical reported on another innovative use of satellites: analysing Adélie penguin guano to determine how the species’ diet is shifting in the wake of climate change. Researchers found that, across a 30-year period, the penguins in places with sea ice ate more fish – but in regions and years with less sea ice, they relied heavily on krill. Populations with more krill-based diets were likely to decline much faster than colonies with predominantly fish-based diets.
