Copernicus Programme
Overview
The Copernicus Programme is a European initiative for the implementation of information services dealing with the environment and security. It is based on observation data received from Earth Observation satellites and ground-based information. The programme is coordinated and managed by the European Commission, and it is implemented in partnership with the member states, the European Space Agency (ESA), and other organisations.
History
The Copernicus Programme was previously known as GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security). The programme was renamed to Copernicus in 2012, after the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, to signify the programme's ambition to provide a comprehensive and global understanding of our planet.
Objectives
The main objectives of the Copernicus Programme are to provide accurate, timely and easily accessible information to improve the management of the environment, understand and mitigate the effects of climate change, and ensure civil security.
Components
The Copernicus Programme is composed of three main components:
- The Space Component: This includes the Sentinel series of Earth Observation satellites developed by ESA specifically for the needs of the Copernicus Programme.
- The In-situ Component: This includes a multitude of sensors on the ground, at sea and in the air, which provide supplementary data to validate and calibrate the satellite observations.
- The Services Component: This includes six thematic information services for land, marine, atmosphere, climate change, emergency management, and security.
Sentinel Satellites
The Sentinel satellites are a family of satellites specifically designed for the operational needs of the Copernicus Programme. They carry a range of technologies, such as radar and multi-spectral imaging instruments for land, ocean and atmospheric monitoring.
In-situ Component
The in-situ component of the Copernicus Programme involves a multitude of sensors on the ground, at sea and in the air. These sensors provide data that are used to validate and calibrate the satellite observations, and to provide additional information that cannot be obtained from space.
Services Component
The services component of the Copernicus Programme provides six thematic information services:
- Land Monitoring: This service provides information about land cover and its changes, land use, vegetation state, water cycle, and energy fluxes.
- Marine Monitoring: This service provides information about the physical state and dynamics of the ocean and marine ecosystems.
- Atmosphere Monitoring: This service provides information about the composition of the Earth's atmosphere.
- Climate Change Monitoring: This service provides information about the climate variables and their evolution.
- Emergency Management: This service provides information to support the management of natural and man-made disasters.
- Security: This service provides information in support of European civil security challenges.