The Full Picture

Envisat ASAR mosaic of the Arctic Ocean for early September 2007, clearly

showing the most direct route of the Northwest Passage open (orange line) and

the Northeast passage only partially blocked (blue line). The dark grey colour

represents the ice-free areas, while green represents areas with sea ice

Image: ESA

[

] 34

GMES and GEOSS: towards

a new era in Earth observation

V. Liebig, Director, ESA Earth Observation Programmes

he year 2007 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the begin-

ning of the space era. During half a century of space flight,

we learned to live in space, to explore it and to profit from

it. Paradoxically, one of the most striking discoveries proved to

be the starting point: Earth. Understanding the complexity of

Earth remains a paramount challenge. Earth observation satel-

lites are our constant assistants in this quest. Their era began

less than two years after Sputnik, before the first humans were

sent into space, showing an intrinsic interest in looking back on

Earth right from the beginning of the space age.

Space capacities

Today, Earth observation satellites are used for a wealth of scientific

studies and applications. When the United Nations

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its

Fourth Climate Assessment Report

in spring 2007, focusing inter-

national media attention once more on the climate

change debate, a significant part of the findings

presented was based on satellite data. Their observa-

tions have detected an accelerated level of global

warming and sea level rise; they have shown the

shrinking of the Arctic ice cover and a decrease in snow

extending to both hemispheres; they help us to under-

standing global change processes by monitoring clouds

and aerosols, greenhouse gas concentrations, vegeta-

tion extent, ocean salinity and many other aspects. At

the same time, data from space are used for a wealth

of practical applications, ranging from oil spill, crop

or iceberg monitoring to disaster management.

In spite of the progress made over the past years,

demand has grown faster. We need accurate, long-term

data for periods allowing us to make the correct assump-

tions, build the right models and undertake predictions.

Data continuity is therefore a key challenge for space

agencies and governments.

Likewise, we need to progress in deploying evolu-

tionary sensors and systems, based on previous

experience but also building on new technologies and

focused needs. The Earth Explorer missions of the

European Space Agency (ESA) are an effort to launch

high-end satellites targeted at specific science areas.

A new era for European Earth observation

The new era we are facing is not marked by a major step

forward in technology – it is the conception that space

is a key asset for the

political

Europe. And it is the polit-

ical conception that a key contribution of space lies in

the delivery of applications and services to the European

citizen. The European Space Policy adopted by ministers

at the Space Council on 22 May 2007 emphasizes “the

unique contributions space-based systems can provide

to the overall research effort and to applications respond-

ing to European policies and objectives”.

The political

recognition of space assets for the benefit of life on Earth

is a decisive step forward. A concerted policy among the

nations of Europe that envisages concrete goals for space

exploration and utilization is its direct outflow.

Two flagship programmes are being developed as the

first tangibles of the cooperation between the European

Union (represented by the European Commission) and

ESA, responding to the calls of the European Space

ATIONAL

& R

EGIONAL

EPORTS