News from ESA

ESA’s GOCE gravity mission has recovered from a glitch that prevented the satellite from sending its flow of scientific data to the ground. News of the recovery comes earlier than expected, thanks to the fervent efforts of a team of experts.

ESA's SMOS water mission has taken another step forward by demonstrating that it will lead to a better understanding of ocean circulation. Using preliminary data, scientists can clearly see how surface currents affect the 'Amazon plume' in the open sea.

Devastating around a third of the country, it is estimated that the floods in Pakistan have affected up to 20 million people. As part of the effort to support humanitarian relief, satellite data are being used to generate essential maps of the flooded areas.

Young Earth scientists from all over the world are gathering this August in ESRIN, ESA’s centre for Earth observation, in Frascati, near Rome, Italy, for the fifth ESA Earth Observation Summer School.

Envisat has been observing a rare event in the Arctic since early August - a giant iceberg breaking off the Petermann glacier in North-West Greenland.

The Payload Module of ESA’s latest meteorological satellite, MetOp-B, has been hauled out of the largest vacuum chamber in Europe: its ability to operate in the harsh conditions of space has been proved.

An award-winning new website is using realtime imagery from ESA's Envisat satellite to provide a wealth of information on sea ice to aid safe passage through the treacherous waters of the Antarctic.

As a strong supporter of the benefits that space industry can bring to Europe, Vice-President of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, Antonio Tajani, visited ESA's ESRIN establishment in Italy today.

While the recent Living Planet Symposium focused mainly on the latest findings on Earth's environment and climate using data from Earth observation satellites, it also provided the forum to present the progress that the GMES initiative has made since the last symposium in 2007.

A better understanding of how Earth's ice fields are changing has come another step closer as the first data from ESA's ice mission are released to selected scientists around the world for fine-tuning.

While much of the focus of ESA’s Living Planet Symposium was on the recently launched Earth Explorers, the 19-year heritage of the ERS and Envisat missions served as the scientific backbone throughout the symposium.

ESA and the European Maritime Safety Agency have signed a further Agreement to ensure that satellite data are available to enhance maritime safety and help combat pollution from shipping.

More than 1400 scientists and users from around the world gathered this past week in Bergen, Norway, for ESA’s Living Planet Symposium to present their latest findings on Earth's environment and climate using data from observation satellites. Selected highlights from the symposium were streamed live on the web and are now available for replay.

More than 1400 scientists and users from around the world gathered this past week in Bergen, Norway, for ESA’s Living Planet Symposium to present their latest findings on Earth's environment and climate using data from observation satellites. Selected highlights from the symposium were streamed live on the web and are now available for replay.

Today, participants at the Living Planet Symposium have been hearing about ESA's most recently launched mission, CryoSat-2. In orbit for almost three months, the satellite is in excellent health with scientists very encouraged by the first ice-thickness data presented at the symposium.

Today, a focus at ESA's Living Planet Symposium is on the innovative SMOS mission, which recently became operational. Early results are proving very encouraging with its first observations due to be released in early July.

The Payload Module of the giant MetOp-B weather satellite has been lowered into ESA’s largest vacuum chamber. ESTEC Test Centre engineers will be subjecting it to prolonged space conditions – their latest assignment in a busy year.

The first global gravity model based on GOCE satellite data has been presented at ESA’s Living Planet Symposium. ESA launched GOCE in March 2009 to map Earth's gravity with unprecedented accuracy and resolution.

More than 1200 scientists from around the world have gathered in Bergen, Norway, for ESA’s week-long Living Planet Symposium to present their latest findings on Earth's environment and climate using data from observation satellites.

Against the backdrop of famed fjords and the land of white nights, more than 1200 scientists are gathered in Bergen, Norway, from 28 June – 2 July to review and discuss the latest results from ESA’s Earth observation missions.