The European Space Agency (ESA) has successfully launched two satellites into orbit to enhance monitoring of climate change impacts. The Vega-C rocket, carrying the Sentinel-3C and Flex satellites, lifted off from the Kourou space center in French Guiana at 10:21 p.m. on Monday (0121 GMT Tuesday). The two satellites entered sun-synchronous orbit within two hours of the launch.
The Flex (Fluorescence Explorer) satellite is designed to provide data on the effects of heat waves on plant life by monitoring the faint fluorescence emitted by plants during photosynthesis. This fluorescence indicates how effectively vegetation converts sunlight and carbon dioxide into energy. According to ESA, the measurements from Flex will assist scientists in assessing plant health, ecosystem productivity, and the impacts of environmental stress and climate change.
The mission, which has a budget of €350 million ($403.5 million), is expected to last three years. The Flex satellite will orbit the Earth 14 times daily, revisiting specific locations every 27 days.
The Sentinel-3C satellite will gather data on the marine environment, including temperature, wave height, and ocean currents, while also monitoring land use and land cover to optimize agricultural yields and mitigate food crises. Sentinel-3C is part of Copernicus, the Earth observation component of the European Union’s space program.
Simonetta Cheli, the director of Earth Observation Programmes at ESA, stated that these missions are essential for addressing the current climate change challenges.