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The German environmental satellite EnMAP launches successfully

The German environmental satellite EnMAP launches successfully

© MyOcean | DLR Earth Observation Center
Never more detailed: EnMAP allows us to study water bodies, soils and plants in great precision. Catch a glimps of the colourfull animation of the data enmap delivers (Data source: Copernicus MyOcean | Animation: DLR Earth Observation Center, Science Communication and Visualization).

On April 1, 2022, the german environmental satellite EnMAP started its journey into space as the largest payload on a Falcon 9 rocket from the US space company SpaceX from Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Mapping and analysis of the environment

EnMAP stands for "Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program". The heart of the EnMAP satellite is a hyperspectral instrument, also called imaging spectrometer. Over the next few years, the hyperspectral mission will take images of the Earth's surface in 242 spectral bands and thus will provide measurements of key biophysical and geochemical parameters at the ground resolution of 30 m. The EnMAP will deliver information on condition and changes of vegetation, soils, mineral exposure, and waters more precisely than ever before. Even short-term changes can be recorded with the help of the satellite, which is about the size of a wardrobe.

After the launch, EnMAP was put into operation, the systems were booted up and the target orbit was set. A phase follows to verify the correct functioning of the satellite. During this phase, special attention is paid to whether the quality of this initial data meets our expectations. Six months after launch, after the so-called commissioning phase, the mission then moves to the operational phase where users will have access to EnMAP imagery.

Prospects for important environmental challenges

Prof. Dr. Sabine Chabrillat, EnMAP science principal investigator and professor in Digital soil mapping at the Institute of Soil Science, emphasizes the scientific importance of the mission and the diverse applications: These ranges "from soil compositional mapping for the monitoring of soil health and soil quality, to mineralogical mapping for geoprocesses and raw materials exploration, to the monitoring of water quality, the early detection of plant stress and the recording of environmental pollution. EnMAP will allow scientists to answer important questions on the status of Earth surface and the consequences of climate change and other environmental changes on Earth."

The EnMAP environmental mission is led by the German Space Agency at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). The mission is under the scientific management of the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) in Potsdam. The satellite and the hyperspectral instrument were developed and built by OHB-System AG. The total cost is around 300 million euros.