ESA advances four Earth Explorer mission concepts: CryoRad, ECO, Hydroterra+, Keystone

ESA advances four Earth Explorer mission concepts: CryoRad, ECO, Hydroterra+, Keystone
by Erica Marchand
Paris, France (SPX) Apr 22, 2024

As our influence on the planet intensifies, the need to understand Earth's systems through advanced scientific methods becomes more critical. The European Space Agency (ESA) is at the forefront with its Earth Explorer missions, which have been pivotal in providing insights into our environment. Recently, ESA announced the progression of four new mission ideas to the assessment study stage. These include CryoRad, ECO, Hydroterra+, and Keystone, each offering unique approaches to observing Earth's complex phenomena.

The call for new mission ideas began in early 2023, and from 17 submissions, ESA's Advisory Committee for Earth Observation (ACEO) recommended four for further development. The Programme Board for Earth Observation has now approved these recommendations, marking the initial steps for these missions to potentially join ESA's suite of Earth Explorer satellites.

Simonetta Cheli, Director for ESA's Earth Observation Programmes, highlighted the competitive nature of the selection process due to the high quality of submissions. She expressed gratitude for the community's support in pursuing innovative research avenues to address critical gaps in our understanding of the planet.

The missions proposed are set to enhance how we study Earth:

+ CryoRad aims to improve our understanding of the cryosphere by measuring passive-microwave brightness temperatures, which could lead to better insights into ice shelf temperatures, sea-ice thickness, and salinity in cold waters.

+ ECO intends to measure the balance between incoming and outgoing solar radiation, directly assessing the Earth's climate system's energy imbalance for the first time.

+ Hydroterra+ plans to operate from a geostationary orbit, providing frequent radar data over Europe, the Mediterranean, and northern Africa, focusing on the water cycle and tectonic activities.

+ Keystone will observe atomic oxygen levels between 50 to 150 km in altitude, helping to examine atmospheric processes affected by solar cycles and space weather.

These studies will take about 18 months to complete before ESA makes further selections, ultimately deciding on the twelfth Earth Explorer mission. The continuing success of these missions not only advances scientific knowledge but also lays the groundwork for future operational satellites, such as the Copernicus Sentinel missions.

The Earth Explorers continue to exceed expectations, offering an increasingly clear view of our planet's intricacies through their extended missions and growing user communities, supported by a policy of open and free data access.