ESA Observing the Earth

A constellation of four new satellites has been launched for Greece, marking a world first for a national satellite capability dedicated to wildfire detection and tracking. The mission is the result of cooperation between the Greek government, private satellite company OroraTech and the European Space Agency (ESA), supported through the EU-funded Recovery and Resilience Facility.

Thirteen European satellites on the same rideshare launcher have successfully reached orbit, bringing capabilities to Italian and Greek monitoring programmes as well as CubeSats that will test satellite connectivity.

Italy’s IRIDE Earth observation programme has added seven more satellites to its Hawk for Earth Observation (HEO) constellation, enhancing the strategic data it provides for Italy’s environmental, emergency and security services.

The Copernicus Sentinel-1D satellite, launched last November, is now fully operational after successfully completing its critical in-orbit commissioning phase.

With all four Sentinel-1 satellites having now been deployed, this achievement marks a major milestone for this flagship radar mission – a journey that began more than a decade ago and that has helped pave the way for the future of Earth observation.

To mark the first anniversary of the European Space Agency’s Biomass satellite, we present a selection of striking images captured over the past 12 months, revealing Earth’s forests, and much more, in new detail. In just one year, this pioneering mission has begun transforming our understanding of forest dynamics and advancing how scientists monitor the critical role forests play in regulating the global carbon cycle.

Press Release N° 20–2026

The European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Defence Agency (EDA) have signed an Implementing Arrangement to jointly identify strategic and technological gaps in Europe’s Earth observation capabilities and develop a long-term roadmap in support of security and defence.

Press Release N° 13–2026

Journalists are invited to a one-off opportunity to see three ESA-built satellites in their final preparations before liftoff. 

The Minoans were a sophisticated Bronze Age civilization (c. 3100–1100 BC) on Crete and widely regarded as Europe’s earliest advanced culture. They are best known for their impressive palace complexes, most notably Knossos, and for their far-reaching maritime trade, which most likely relied on celestial navigation and a detailed understanding of the constellations. The Minoans recognised a hidden order in the natural world: a force to be respected, yet also harnessed for human benefit. Their era, the Age of Bronze, marked a pivotal moment in the development of human society.

Today, our own relationship with nature must find a new equilibrium. The need to monitor environmental change has never been more urgent, and satellites provide the most powerful means of doing so. This video draws a line from the world of the Minoans to the satellites orbiting above us today, highlighting the vital role of metrology – the science of measurement – in ensuring that the data they provide are accurate and trustworthy. And it turns out that Crete is an ideal location for unique reference network that helps carry out this important task â€“ and particularly important for the Copernicus Sentinel-6 mission. 

The Sentinel-6 satellites carry the latest radar altimetry technology to further extend the sea-surface height record that began in the early 1990s. These measurements help scientists understand sea-level rise – crucial information for shaping climate policy and protecting the millions of people living in coastal areas around the world.

The first Sentinel-6 satellite was launched in November 2020, followed by Sentinel-6B in November 2025.

ESA’s first Scout mission, HydroGNSS, was launched on 28 November 2025, marking a significant step in advancing global understanding of water availability and the effects of climate change on Earth’s water cycle.

The two twin HydroGNSS satellites were carried into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, US.

Embracing the New Space concept, HydroGNSS is one of ESA’s new Scout missions being developed within the Earth Observation FutureEO programme.

ESA’s first Scout mission, HydroGNSS, was launched on 28 November 2025, marking a significant step in advancing global understanding of water availability and the effects of climate change on Earth’s water cycle.

The two twin HydroGNSS satellites were carried into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, US.

Embracing the New Space concept, HydroGNSS is one of ESA’s new Scout missions being developed within the Earth Observation FutureEO programme.