Author Topic: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions  (Read 28068 times)

Offline bolun

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ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« on: 04/28/2012 12:00 pm »
Earth Explorer 7

Following the Earth Explorer selection process, there are currently three candidate missions undergoing feasibility study, after which one mission will be selected as ESA's seventh Earth Explorer mission:

- Biomass – to take global measurements of forest biomass.

- CoReH2O (Cold Regions Hydrology High-resolution Observatory – to make detailed observations of key snow, ice and water cycle characteristics.

- PREMIER (PRocess Exploration through Measurements of Infrared and millimetre-wave Emitted Radiation) – to understand processes that link trace gases, radiation, chemistry and climate in the atmosphere.

Earth Explorer 8

As a result of the Call for Proposals for the eighth Earth Explorer released in October 2009, the Florescence Explorer (FLEX) and CarbonSat missions have been approved to move forward to Phase A/B1. Approval was given by ESA's Earth Observation Programme Board on 24 November 2010.
 
http://www.esa.int/esaLP/ASEWGWNW9SC_LPearthexp_0.html

and

http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEM9JP2VQUD_index_0_m.html

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #1 on: 04/28/2012 12:05 pm »
CarbonSat – On the trail of greenhouse gases

19 April 2012

Astrium, Europe’s leading space company, will be pushing ahead with the preparation of CarbonSat, a new climate satellite for the European Space Agency (ESA), over the next 22 months. In early April 2012, ESA announced its decision to award Astrium a contract to define the CarbonSat satellite.
 
Decision on new environmental satellites will be taken in 2013

http://www.eads.com/eads/int/en/news/press.20120419_astrium_carbonsat.html
« Last Edit: 04/28/2012 04:45 pm by bolun »

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #2 on: 06/20/2012 07:23 pm »
ESA showcases new Earth Explorer excellence
 
15 June 2012

Three new satellite concepts are vying to be chosen as ESA’s seventh Earth Explorer mission. In preparation for selection next year, a series of reports has been published presenting the scientific and technical ambition of each mission.
 
Since the Biomass, CoReH2O and PREMIER mission concepts were selected for feasibility study in 2009, each candidate has been undergoing a set of rigorous activities to demonstrate their value to science and that they are technically viable.

The culmination of these efforts provides an important juncture at which to document their capabilities. Furthermore, the release of the three Reports for Mission Selection is timely in view of preparation for the ESA Ministerial Council in November, at which funding is sought to finance the development of the seventh Earth Explorer.

http://www.esa.int/esaEO/SEMUMJ8X73H_index_0.html

Reports for mission selection SP-1324

- Biomass

http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/EarthObservation/SP1324-1_BIOMASSr.pdf

- CoReH2O

http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/EarthObservation/SP1324-2_CoReH2Or.pdf

- PREMIER

http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/EarthObservation/SP1324-3_PREMIERr.pdf

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #3 on: 10/15/2012 01:18 pm »
Earth Explorer 7

http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEME5D3S18H_LPearthexp_0.html

Quote
Next spring will mark a significant milestone in the Earth observation calendar. The decision will be taken as to which of the three concepts competing to be the next Earth Explorer satellite mission will be developed and built.
 
Prior to this important decision, scientists and data users will be able to discuss the merits of each of the three candidates and express their views at a consultation meeting, which ESA is planning to hold on 5–6 March in Graz, Austria.

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #4 on: 03/11/2013 07:10 pm »
« Last Edit: 03/11/2013 07:14 pm by bolun »

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #5 on: 03/24/2013 07:38 pm »
Replay: Earth Explorer 7 User Consultation Meeting

Part 1: Opening of meeting & Biomass objectives and technical concept presentations

http://spaceinvideos.esa.int/Videos/2013/03/Replay_Earth_Explorer_7_User_Consultation_Meeting_Part_1

Part 2: Biomass scientific and programmatic presentations, and Q&A

http://spaceinvideos.esa.int/Videos/2013/03/Replay_Earth_Explorer_7_User_Consultation_Meeting_Part_2

Part 3: CoReH2O objectives and technical presentations

http://spaceinvideos.esa.int/Videos/2013/03/Replay_Earth_Explorer_7_User_Consultation_Meeting_Part_3

Part 4: CoReH2O scientific and programmatic presentations, and Q&A

http://spaceinvideos.esa.int/Videos/2013/03/Replay_Earth_Explorer_7_User_Consultation_Meeting_Part_4

Part 5: Premier objectives and technical presentations

http://spaceinvideos.esa.int/Videos/2013/03/Replay_Earth_Explorer_7_User_Consultation_Meeting_Part_5

Part 6: Premier scientific and programmatic presentations, and Q&A

http://spaceinvideos.esa.int/Videos/2013/03/Replay_Earth_Explorer_7_User_Consultation_Meeting_Part_6

Part 7: General discussion on all three candidate Earth Explorer 7 missions

http://spaceinvideos.esa.int/Videos/2013/03/Replay_Earth_Explorer_7_User_Consultation_Meeting_Part_7

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #6 on: 05/04/2013 05:26 pm »
Earth Explorer 7

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/The_Living_Planet_Programme/Earth_Explorers

Quote
In May 2013, ESA will make a final decision as to which of the following missions shall be developed as the seventh Earth Explorer:

- Biomass

- CoReH2O

- PREMIER
« Last Edit: 07/03/2015 08:51 am by bolun »

Offline russianhalo117

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #7 on: 05/07/2013 03:46 pm »
ENGLISH LINK: http://www.esa.int/For_Media/Press_Releases/ESA_s_next_Earth_Explorer_satellite

PRESS RELEASE (ENGLISH):
N° 13–2013: ESA’S NEXT EARTH EXPLORER SATELLITE

7 May 2013

ESA’s Earth Observation Programme Board has selected ‘Biomass’ to become the seventh Earth Explorer mission. The innovative satellite aims to map and monitor one of Earth’s most precious resources.

Following the review of three candidate concepts at the Board’s meeting today, the Biomass mission concept is set to become the next in a series of satellites developed to further our understanding of Earth.

The satellite will be designed to provide, for the first time from space, P-band radar measurements that are optimised to determine the amount of biomass and carbon stored in the world’s forests with greater accuracy than ever before.

This information, which is poorly known in the tropics, is essential to our understanding of the role of forests in Earth’s carbon cycle and in climate change.

Reliable knowledge of tropical forest biomass also underpins the implementation of the UN Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) initiative – an international effort to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation and land degradation in developing countries.

In addition, the measurements made by Biomass offer the opportunity to map the elevation of Earth’s terrain under dense vegetation, yielding information on subsurface geology and allowing the estimation of glacier and ice-sheet velocities, critical to our understanding of ice-sheet mass loss in a warming Earth.

Biomass also has the potential to evolve into an operational system, providing long-term monitoring of forests – one of Earth’s most important natural resources. The launch of the mission is foreseen for 2020.

“Biomass is an innovative new addition to the Earth Explorer satellite series,” said Volker Liebig, Director of ESA’s Earth Observation Programmes. It will play an important role in quantifying forest biomass  – information necessary to better understand the carbon cycle.

“The Earth Observation Programme Board today gave its full approval to the selection of Biomass but has also requested that ESA ensures the best value for money to Member States by confirming implementation of the mission when the full industrial proposal is available.

“This shows the importance attached to the efficient execution of the mission by European industry in times where programme finance is under pressure.”

The selection of Biomass was based on the Earth Science Advisory Committee’s recommendation following a scientific peer review at the Earth Explorer 7 User Consultation Meeting held in Graz, Austria in March.

The Committee recognised the potential value to science and society of the other two candidate missions, CoReH2O and PREMIER, and has given further advice to ESA on how this potential can be realised.

The Earth Explorers are a series of satellites developed to further our understanding of Earth.

Three missions currently in orbit are providing new insight into Earth’s cryosphere, gravity and soil moisture and ocean salinity. Future missions will provide new information on the magnetic field, wind and how clouds and aerosols affect the radiation budget.

About the European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe's gateway to space.

ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.

ESA has 20 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, of whom 18 are Member States of the EU.

ESA has Cooperation Agreements with eight other Member States of the EU and is discussing an Agreement with the one remaining (Bulgaria). Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.

ESA is also working with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes.

By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country.

ESA develops the launchers, spacecraft and ground facilities needed to keep Europe at the forefront of global space activities.

Today, it launches satellites for Earth observation, navigation, telecommunications and astronomy, sends probes to the far reaches of the Solar System and cooperates in the human exploration of space.

Learn more at www.esa.int

For further information:

ESA Media Relations Office
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +33(0)1.5369.7299

Copyright 2000 - 2013 © European Space Agency. All rights reserved.

--------

FRENCH LINK: http://www.esa.int/fre/For_Media/Press_Releases/ESA_s_next_Earth_Explorer_satellite2
PRESS RELEASE (FRENCH):

N° 13–2013: ESA’S NEXT EARTH EXPLORER SATELLITE

7 mai 2013

Ce communiqué n'a pas été traduit vers le français. Veuillez consulter la version anglaise.

Copyright 2000 - 2013 © European Space Agency. All rights reserved.

--------

GERMAN LINK: http://www.esa.int/ger/For_Media/Press_Releases/ESA_s_next_Earth_Explorer_satellite3
PRESS RELEASE (GERMAN):

N° 13–2013: ESA’S NEXT EARTH EXPLORER SATELLITE

7 Mai 2013

Diese Pressemitteilung ist nicht ins Deutsche übersetzt worden. Sehen Sie bitte die englische Fassung.

Copyright 2000 - 2013 © European Space Agency. All rights reserved.

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #8 on: 05/16/2013 08:37 pm »
European BIOMASS mission set for 2020 launch

10 May 2013

The UK is set to take part in a European space mission to map and monitor the amount of biomass and carbon stored in the world’s forests. Named BIOMASS, the new mission will provide information essential to our understanding of the role of forests in Earth’s carbon cycle and in climate change.

The satellite is designed to provide, for the first time from space, P-band radar measurements that are optimised to determine the amount of biomass and carbon with greater accuracy than ever before.

In addition, BIOMASS will be able to map the elevation of Earth’s terrain under dense vegetation, yielding information on subsurface geology and allowing the estimation of glacier and ice-sheet velocities, critical to our understanding of ice-sheet mass loss in a warming Earth.

Due for launch in 2020, the mission also has the potential to evolve into an operational system, providing long-term monitoring of forests – one of Earth’s most important natural resources.

http://www.bis.gov.uk/ukspaceagency/news-and-events/2013/May/european-biomass-mission-set-for-2020-launch

Offline bolun

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Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #10 on: 03/06/2014 08:25 pm »
Pinpointing sources of greenhouse gases

5 March 2014

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/The_Living_Planet_Programme

Quote
CarbonSat’s new imaging method has now been tested using an airborne sensor called Mamap.

Developed by the University of Bremen and the GFZ Research Centre for Geosciences, it uses an extremely accurate solar absorption spectroscopy technique, the same as would be used by CarbonSat.

Carried on an aircraft, the novel Mamap measures atmospheric carbon dioxide from power plants and methane from coalmine ventilation shafts in Germany.

Quote
Mamap will be put to task again this summer, this time in California, USA, over land and over the ocean.

A workshop on the latest developments in measuring greenhouse gases from space will be held on 5–7 May at ESA’s Technical Centre in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.

As well as CarbonSat, the FLEX mission, which aims to quantify vegetation fluorescence, is being studied in parallel as a candidate for ESA’s eighth Earth Explorer. A decision on which mission will go forward is likely to be made next year.
« Last Edit: 07/03/2015 08:50 am by bolun »

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #11 on: 02/19/2015 06:54 pm »
ESA's Biomass satellite goes ahead

19 February 2015

Following the initial selection in 2013 for Biomass to become ESA’s seventh Earth Explorer mission and the completion of preparatory activities, ESA Member States yesterday gave the green light for its full implementation for launch in 2020.

The mission addresses one of the most fundamental components in the Earth system: the status and dynamics of tropical forests. Its primary scientific objectives are to determine the distribution of above-ground biomass in these forests and to measure annual changes in this stock over the period of the mission.

The amount of biomass and forest height will be measured at a resolution of 200 m, and forest disturbances such as clear-cutting at a resolution of 50 m, providing an important tool for sustainable forest management.

Studying the world’s tropical biomass is key to our understanding Earth’s climate.

The mission will provide the first opportunity to explore Earth’s surface at the ‘P-band’ radar frequency from space. In addition to studying forests, the data are expected to be used for monitoring the ionosphere, glaciers and ice sheets, and for mapping subsurface geology in deserts and surface topography below dense vegetation.

http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/ESA_s_Biomass_satellite_goes_ahead

Offline Star One

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #12 on: 02/19/2015 07:01 pm »
A report on NASA's input into this mission in regards to the large mesh antenna it will need to use.

http://spacenews.com/esa-approves-biomass-mission-featuring-u-s-antenna-technology/
« Last Edit: 02/19/2015 07:02 pm by Star One »

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #13 on: 07/02/2015 01:25 pm »
Reports on Earth Explorer candidates CarbonSat and FLEX now available:  link

Quote
As a critical input to the decision-making process that will lead to the selection of ESA’s eighth Earth Explorer mission, the Reports for Mission Selection of the two candidate opportunity missions – CarbonSat and FLEX – are now available.

The selection will take place following a User Consultation Meeting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, Poland on 15–16 September 2015, where the Earth observation scientific community is invited to participate.
« Last Edit: 07/03/2015 08:47 am by bolun »


Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #15 on: 09/25/2015 04:53 pm »
http://spacenews.com/panel-endorses-vegetation-fluorescence-mapper-for-esas-earth-explorer-program/

Panel Endorses Vegetation Fluorescence Mapper for ESA’s Earth Explorer Program

Quote
A European Earth observation advisory committee has selected a mission to map global vegetation fluorescence to measure plant-stored carbon ahead of a carbon- and methane-monitoring satellite as Europe’s next Earth Explorer mission.
Quote
The committee’s recommendation is all but certain to be adopted by the European Space Agency’s Earth Observation Program Board when it convenes in mid-November.

Offline bolun

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« Last Edit: 11/26/2015 10:13 am by bolun »

Offline bolun

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Offline Star One

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #18 on: 05/03/2016 04:59 pm »
Airbus UK to build Europe’s Biomass satellite, featuring first use of P-band radar

Quote
PARIS– Airbus Defence and Space UK will build the European Space Agency’s Biomass forest-carbon-monitoring satellite under a contract valued at 229 million euros ($260 million), the two parties announced May 3.

Stevenage, England-based Airbus UK will be prime contractor for the 1,250-kilogram spacecraft, which is expected to launch in 2021, they said.

Biomass’s showcase instrument will be its P-band synthetic-aperture radar antenna, whose main instrument will be built by Airbus’s Friedrichshafen, Germany, facility, with the 12-meter-diameter deployable antenna built by Harris Corp. of Melbourne, Florida.

The 22-nation ESA has budgeted the entire Biomass mission at 420 million euros, a figure that includes the satellite’s construction, launch aboard a European Vega rocket and five years of operations in low Earth orbit.

The mission is designed to observe annual changes in biomass in most of the world’s forests over multiple growth cycles.

http://spacenews.com/airbus-uk-to-build-europes-biomass-satellite-featuring-first-use-of-p-band-radar/

Offline Kryten

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #19 on: 05/03/2016 05:03 pm »
Airbus UK to build Europe’s Biomass satellite, featuring first use of P-band radar
There's an experimental P-band radar on AIST-2D.

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #20 on: 11/08/2016 08:10 pm »
Deal signed for FLEX's fluorescence finder: link

Quote
ESA has selected Italian company Leonardo to build the main instrument for the upcoming FLEX satellite to study the health of Earth’s vegetation.

At an event held today in Florence, Italy, Leonardo signed a €74 million contract to design, build and test the spectrometer for ESA’s eighth Earth Explorer over the next four years.

Planned for launch by 2022, it will detect and measure the light emitted by plants as they convert sunlight and the atmosphere’s carbon dioxide into energy.

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #21 on: 12/17/2016 03:01 pm »
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Reissued_call_for_Earth_Explorer_9_proposals

Reissued: call for Earth Explorer 9 proposals

Quote
So far, eight missions have been selected for implementation. Each was proposed by the scientific community and realised through a user-driven selection process to ensure that each missions address key Earth-science questions.

As part of this process, ESA released a call for proposals for the ninth Earth Explorer in November 2015. However, in this case, none of the proposals met the boundary conditions as stated in the call. As a result, ESA has updated some conditions and has reissued the call.

Proposals should not only demonstrate scientific excellence and innovative technology, but also address important questions that have a direct bearing on societal issues we are likely to face in the coming decades. This includes, for example, the availability of food, water, energy and resources, health, risk of disaster and climate change.

It is expected that the selected mission will be launched by 2025

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #22 on: 09/27/2017 04:37 pm »
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Call_for_new_Earth_Explorer_mission_ideas

Call for new Earth Explorer mission ideas

Quote
As part of ESA’s commitment to realise new satellite missions that advance our understanding of Earth, benefit society and demonstrate innovative space technologies, a call is now open for new Earth Explorer ideas.

Released today, the call invites scientists working in Earth observation to submit ideas for ESA’s 10th Earth Explorer mission

Quote
ESA foresees the 10th Earth Explorer being launched in 2027–28. The procedure for submitting an initial idea for this future mission begins with a letter of intent, which must be received by 15 December 2017.

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #23 on: 11/16/2017 09:15 am »
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Two_new_Earth_Explorer_concepts_to_understand_our_rapidly_changing_world

Two new Earth Explorer concepts to understand our rapidly changing world (EE09)

Quote
ESA has chosen two concepts, FORUM and SKIM, to be developed further and compete to be the ninth Earth Explorer mission.

Quote
Thanks to new technical developments, the Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring (FORUM) candidate would measure radiation emitted from Earth across the entire far-infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Significantly, it measures in the 15–100 micron range, which has never been done from space before.

Quote
FORUM’s benchmark measurements would improve our understanding of the greenhouse effect and, importantly, contribute to the accuracy of climate change assessments that form the basis for policy decisions.

The Sea-surface Kinematics Multiscale monitoring (SKIM) candidate would carry a novel wide-swath scanning multibeam radar altimeter to measure ocean-surface currents. Uniquely, it uses a Doppler technique, which offers more direct measurements than conventional satellite altimeters.

Quote
“With this recommendation now accepted, these two candidates will spend the next two years being studied thoroughly. In 2019, a User Consultation Meeting will be held, after which a decision will be taken by ESA’s Member States as to which of the two contenders will be implemented.

“We foresee Earth Explorer 9 being launched in 2025.”
« Last Edit: 09/21/2018 06:07 pm by bolun »

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #24 on: 09/21/2018 06:06 pm »
https://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/Three_Earth_Explorer_ideas_selected

Three Earth Explorer ideas selected (EE10)

Quote
As part of ESA’s continuing commitment to realise cutting-edge satellite missions to advance scientific understanding of our planet and to show how new technologies can be used in space, three new ideas have been chosen to compete as the tenth Earth Explorer mission.

The decision follows the release of a call for ideas in September 2017. Out of the 21 proposals submitted, ESA’s Advisory Committee for Earth Observation (ACEO) recommended that three mission ideas should be selected for feasibility study: Stereoid, Daedalus and G-Class.

Today, ESA’s Programme Board for Earth Observation accepted the committee’s recommendation.

Quote
Stereoid would orbit in formation with one of the Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellites. Carrying a synthetic aperture radar, it aims to measure small shifts in the ocean surface, in glaciers and in Earth’s surface. This would improve our understanding of small-scale ocean circulation patterns, advance knowledge of glacial dynamics and their contribution to sea-level rise, and measure changes in land-surface topography.

Daedalus would carry a suite of instruments to provide measurements in a largely unexplored area between the Earth’s upper atmosphere and space. Here, intriguing and complex processes govern the deposition, transformation and transport of some of the Sun and solar wind’s energy. The aim is to quantify amounts of energy deposited in the upper atmosphere by measuring, for example, effects caused by the electrodynamic processes in this region. The concept is based on a mother satellite, which carries a suite of instruments along with four small satellites carrying a subset of instruments that are released into the atmosphere.

G-Class would carry a synthetic aperture radar and would be rather uniquely placed in a geosynchronous orbit to provide a constant view of Africa and the Mediterranean regions. The mission aims to make observations of diurnal water cycle processes to improve the prediction capability for rainfall, water availability, flooding and landslides.

Feasibility studies will now start, after which a further selection will be made, with a view to launching of the successful mission in 2027–28.

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #25 on: 01/18/2019 01:58 pm »
Thales Alenia Space leads the build of photosynthesis mission: link

Quote
A new contract seals the deal for Thales Alenia Space to lead the consortium that is building ESA’s photosynthesis mission: FLEX.

... from over 800 km above Earth, this novel mission will yield information about the health of the world’s plants by measuring a faint glow they give off as they convert carbon dioxide and sunlight into energy-rich carbohydrates.

Quote
The launch of FLEX on a Vega C rocket from French Guiana is currently envisaged for 2023.

Image credit: Thales Alenia Space

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #26 on: 03/26/2020 04:58 pm »
ESA to issue Call for Ideas for next Earth Explorer (EE11)

Quote
As part of the ongoing commitment to realise new satellite missions that advance our understanding of Earth, contribute to climate research, benefit society and demonstrate innovative space technologies, ESA soon expects to release a Call for Ideas for Earth Explorer 11, pending approval from Member States at the Programme Board for Earth Observation. The hope is to issue the Call before the end of May, with a deadline to submit full proposals by the end of October 2020.

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #27 on: 05/28/2020 01:18 pm »
Calling for ideas for next Earth Explorer (EE11)

Quote
As part of ESA’s continuing commitment to realise cutting-edge satellite missions to advance the scientific understanding of our planet and to show how new technologies can be used in space, a new Call for Earth Explorer mission ideas has been released today.

The Call invites scientists working in Earth observation to submit ideas for ESA’s 11th Earth Explorer mission.

Quote
To add to this family of extraordinary satellite missions, it is now time to start the process of realising the eleventh Earth Explorer, which is foreseen to be launched in 2031–2032.

Upon the official release of the Call on Monday 25 May, the procedure for submitting an initial idea for this future mission begins with a letter of intent, which must be received by 18 September 2020. This will be followed with a workshop with Proposers on 5 October 2020 to explain the proposal guidelines.

The deadline for submitting the final proposal is 4 December 2020 at noon European time.
« Last Edit: 05/28/2020 01:27 pm by bolun »

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #28 on: 11/05/2020 04:45 pm »
A new satellite to understand how Earth is losing its cool (EE09)

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Following a rigorous selection process, ESA has selected a new satellite mission to fill in a critical missing piece of the climate jigsaw. By measuring radiation emitted by Earth into space, FORUM will provide new insight into the planet’s radiation budget and how it is controlled.

The Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring (FORUM) mission was one of two concepts competing to be ESA’s ninth Earth Explorer mission.

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After a two-year feasibility study phase, both FORUM and its competitor, the Sea-surface Kinematics Multiscale monitoring (SKIM) concept, were presented and discussed in detail with the scientific community at a User Consultation Meeting in Cambridge, UK, in July.

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The design of the mission will now be fine-tuned, and then built with a view to be launched in 2026.

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #29 on: 05/27/2022 08:59 am »
Putting the future in FutureEO

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... there are nine Earth Explorer missions; one completed, four in orbit and four in different stages of being built.

Next to launch is the Biomass satellite which, carrying a novel P-band synthetic aperture radar, will deliver crucial information about the state of our forests and how they are changing, and further our knowledge of the role forests play in the carbon cycle.

Harmony is slated as the tenth Earth Explorer mission and will be reviewed at the User Consultation Meeting on 5 July, after which formal selection should be made in the autumn.

This new mission promises to provide data to measure small shifts in the shape of the land surface, such as those resulting from earthquakes and volcanic activity. It would also provide new information to study 3D deformation and flow dynamics of glaciers at the rapidly changing marginal zones of the ice sheets for a better understanding of the impact of ice loss on sea-level rise. Over the ocean, Harmony would provide simultaneous measurements of surface wind, currents and temperature, as well as ocean waves.

In addition, there are four mission concepts, Cairt, Nitrosat, Wivern, Seastar, competing to be the eleventh Earth Explorer.

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #30 on: 06/28/2022 10:40 am »
Contract secures design for ESA’s FORUM satellite (EE09)

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ESA has awarded a contract worth €160 million to Airbus in the UK to build the Earth Explorer FORUM satellite. This exciting new mission will yield unique insight into the planet’s radiation budget and how it is controlled – thereby filling in a critical missing piece of the climate jigsaw.

Short for Far-infrared Outgoing Radiation Understanding and Monitoring, FORUM is ESA’s ninth Earth Explorer mission.

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“FORUM, which we plan to launch from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana in 2027, is a single-satellite mission that will carry a Fourier Transform Spectrometer that can measure across Earth’s entire far-infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum

Image credit: Airbus

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #31 on: 09/22/2022 09:17 pm »
ESA selects Harmony as tenth Earth Explorer mission (EE10)

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Following  preparatory activities and a stringent process ESA Member States today formally selected Harmony for implementation as the tenth Earth Explorer mission within the FutureEO programme. This unique satellite mission concept is, therefore, now set to become a reality to provide a wealth of new information about our oceans, ice, earthquakes and volcanoes – which will make significant contributions to climate research and risk monitoring.

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This exciting new mission will comprise two identical satellites orbiting Earth in convoy with a Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite. Each Harmony satellite will carry a receive-only synthetic aperture radar and a multiview thermal-infrared instrument.

Together with observations from Sentinel-1, Harmony will deliver a wide range of unique high-resolution observations of motion occurring at or near Earth’s surface.

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With Harmony formally selected as the tenth Earth Explorer, the mission is part of ESA’s Earth Observation FutureEO programme proposal at the upcoming Council at Ministerial Level, CM22 where funding decisions will be made by Member States.

Then the next step will involve fine-tuning of the mission design and the subsequent build with a view to launching the satellites in 2029.

Offline baldusi

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #32 on: 09/25/2022 10:59 pm »
ESA selects Harmony as tenth Earth Explorer mission (EE10)

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Following  preparatory activities and a stringent process ESA Member States today formally selected Harmony for implementation as the tenth Earth Explorer mission within the FutureEO programme. This unique satellite mission concept is, therefore, now set to become a reality to provide a wealth of new information about our oceans, ice, earthquakes and volcanoes – which will make significant contributions to climate research and risk monitoring.

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This exciting new mission will comprise two identical satellites orbiting Earth in convoy with a Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite. Each Harmony satellite will carry a receive-only synthetic aperture radar and a multiview thermal-infrared instrument.

Together with observations from Sentinel-1, Harmony will deliver a wide range of unique high-resolution observations of motion occurring at or near Earth’s surface.

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With Harmony formally selected as the tenth Earth Explorer, the mission is part of ESA’s Earth Observation FutureEO programme proposal at the upcoming Council at Ministerial Level, CM22 where funding decisions will be made by Member States.

Then the next step will involve fine-tuning of the mission design and the subsequent build with a view to launching the satellites in 2029.

Did this mission grew out of the proposed companion for SAOCOM 1B that was cancelled? I think it was called Tango, but I can't find my notes. I do remember it enabling doing tomography.

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #33 on: 02/20/2023 03:06 pm »
Call opens for ESA’s twelfth Earth Explorer (EE12)

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Harmony, the tenth Earth Explorer, was recently selected or implementation and will provide a wealth of new information about our oceans, ice, earthquakes, and volcanoes.

In addition, there are currently four candidates for Earth Explorer 11: Cairt, Nitrosat, Wivern and Seastar. A down-selection will be made later this year.

And now, the Call is open to forge ahead with Earth Explorer 12. Information and details on how to respond to the Call can be found on ESA’s Earth Observation Proposal System.

The deadline to submit a Letter of Intent is 28 April 2023 and the deadline to then submit a full proposal is 29 September 2023.

Offline bolun

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Re: ESA - Future Earth Explorer Missions
« Reply #34 on: 11/22/2023 08:31 am »
Cairt and Wivern Earth Explorer candidates go forward (EE11)

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ESA has reached a significant milestone in its commitment towards a deeper understanding of Earth's dynamic processes and addressing pressing environmental challenges with the selection of two new candidates – Cairt and Wivern – to progress to the next development phase as part of the process of realising the Agency’s eleventh Earth Explorer satellite mission.

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The two Earth Explorer 11 mission concepts promise to build on the success of missions that provide or are set to provide vital data for scientific research.

Cairt – short for changing-atmosphere infrared tomography – would provide the measurements needed to make a necessary step change in understanding the links between climate change, atmospheric chemistry and dynamics in the altitude range of about 5 to 115 km.

It would focus on the processes that couple atmospheric circulation, composition and regional climate change, providing critical observations not available from existing or planned satellite missions.

Cairt would be the first limb-sounder with imaging Fourier-transform infrared technology in space.

Wivern – short for wind velocity radar nephoscope – would provide the first measurements of wind within clouds and precipitation. It would also deliver profiles of rain, snow and ice water.

Carrying a dual-polarisation, conically scanning, 94 GHz Doppler radar with an 800 km swath, the mission would improve forecasts of hazardous weather and provide new insights into severe storms.

It would also contribute to the climate record of cloud and precipitation profiling.

Selection of Earth Explorer 11 in 2025 and launch in the 2032–33 timeframe.

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