SSTL’s Optical Payloads Group has commenced a science project that will study fluorescent emissions from vegetation using a remote sensing instrument designed to fly onboard a small satellite.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is notoriously difficult to measure and so far it has been impossible to calculate the uptake of the Earth’s CO2 sinks with sufficient accuracy for scientific analysis – for example hindering our ability to monitor the efficacy of CO2 mitigation policies. There is an urgent need to improve data on the natural CO2 uptake of vegetation in order to improve our understanding of its influence on the Earth's carbon cycle and its potential to suppress today’s increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration. Even minor changes in ecosystem-scale photosynthesis can have a significant affect on the global carbon balance.

Satellites have made a huge difference to our knowledge of vegetation conditions, but until now most of that information has come from remotely sensing reflected sunlight with multi-spectral Earth observation satellites. There is, however, one additional source of information about vegetation in the optical and near-infrared wavelength range. During photosynthesis part of the energy absorbed by chlorophyll is not used for carbon fixation, but re-emitted at longer wavelengths as fluorescence.

'The European Space Agency (ESA) Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX), which is a candidate for the Earth Explorer 8 missions, aims to provide global maps of vegetation fluorescence that can be converted into an indicator of photosynthetic activity. These data would improve our understanding of how much carbon is stored in plants and their role in the carbon and water cycles.

SSTL will identify one optimised design of an instrument under a 400k€ contract from ESA that will detect the weak radiation emitted in this specific wavelength range from space. The Fluorescence Imaging Spectrometer (FIMAS) instrument will be compact enough to fly on a small satellite as a precursor to the primary instrument onboard FLEX.

SSTL has won a contract worth €1.6 million from Astrium GmbH, Germany to proceed with work on a new contract to develop and supply the Multi-Spectral Imager (MSI) for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) EarthCARE Mission.

Earth Explorer Missions are part of the Earth Observation Envelope Programme (EOEP). They are missions led by the European Space Agency to address primary research objectives. The EarthCARE Mission has been approved for implementation as the third Earth Explorer Core Mission. The mission will be implemented in collaboration with Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency who will provide one of the core Instruments. The EarthCARE mission has been specifically defined with the basic objective of improving the understanding of cloud-aerosol-radiation interactions so as to include them correctly and reliably in climate and numerical weather prediction models.

The EarthCARE mission aims to improve the understanding of the Earth's radiation balance and to minimize uncertainties in climate change prediction models by acquiring accurate vertical profiles of clouds and aerosols, as well as measurements of top of the atmosphere radiance. The Multi Spectral Imager produced by SSTL will provide information on the horizontal structures of clouds, such as cloud type and cover, and cloud optical and microphysical properties. The instrument's 150 km swath will be used to extend to three dimensions the validity of the aerosol, cloud and radiance measurements made by the active EarthCARE instruments which are all directed towards the satellite ground track.

This contract is for the first stage of the Phase B design study; the full Phase B is a 15 month programme. This will be followed by a Phase C/D leading to mission launch in 2013. SSTL is supported in the MSI programme by TNO from The Netherlands who are acting as subcontractors to SSTL.

The Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (better know as INPE) has placed a contract for a third year with DMC International Imaging Ltd to acquire high-resolution satellite images of the entire 5 million square kilometres of the Amazon rainforest. Since 2004 INPE’s programme to monitor deforestation has dramatically reduced the rate of logging from 27,000 sq.km. per year to about 10,000 sq.km. in 2007.

In order to rapidly identify areas of cover change, DMCii is contracted to provide three repeat coverages in 2007 (June-July, July-August, September-October). In 2005, and again in 2006, DMC imaged the whole Amazon Basin in 6 weeks to provide Brazil with vital information to help monitor deforestation and combat illegal logging.

DMC imagery is provided by the five-satellite international Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). The DMC small satellites, built by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), use wide area cameras to capture the high-resolution images. The latest satellite, built for China, was launched into the DMC on 27 October 2005. Two new DMC satellites will be launched in 2008 and a third in 2009.

Speaking at the Royal Society in London, 25th October, Dr. Gilberto Camâra, Director General of INPE said,

“The DMC data is an important affordable contribution to our assessment of deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. The constellation is able to rapidly acquire and deliver high quality imagery so that we have up-to-date information to focus our efforts. It is our intention to develop a long term relationship with DMC”

The increasing amount of DMC imagery required by INPE since 2005 demonstrates the value of rapid revisit imaging. When the new DMC satellites launch in 2008, these will add considerably to INPE’s ability to monitor and combat changes in the rainforest and their consequences for both the local people and the global climate.

The Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE) help Brazilian society to benefit from new developments in space science and technology. This includes increasing Brazil's autonomy in a number of strategic areas, providing the means for Brazilian industry to participate and become competitive in the space area and encouraging the development and dissemination of space technology.

INPE has developed a near or almost real time monitoring application for deforestation detection known as the Real Time Deforestation Monitoring System (DETER) system. High-resolution imagery is needed when estimating the total area of deforestation and when identifying small clearings.

When it's not coordinating the response to natural disasters, DMC International Imaging Ltd (DMCii) supplies remote sensing data products and services for international Earth Observation (EO) markets. DMCii supplies programmed and archived optical satellite imagery provided by the multi-satellite Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). DMC data is now used in a wide variety of commercial and government applications including agriculture, forestry and environmental mapping.

Monitoring and detecting greenhouses gases is of critical importance to the future of the planet. While there are some conflicting reports that attempt to quantify the rate of climatic change, one fact that the scientific community do seem to agree on is that greenhouse gases are adversely influencing our environment today and will continue to do so in the future. The Kyoto protocol requires such harmful gases to be monitored, therefore the European Space Agency (ESA) have awarded an important contract to a UK team lead by space experts Surrey Satellite Technologies Ltd (SSTL) to provide a solution to this global problem.

The impact of climate change on the global environment is currently attracting significant global coverage. The key question requiring an answer is how human activity affects the surrounding environment is a subject generating significant debate from both ?pro? and ?anti? lobbies. A number of inter-governmental treaties have been signed (including Kyoto) which attempt to limit the amount of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O, O3) produced around the globe. Careful monitoring of greenhouse gases is essential if we are to understand fully the impact of these elevated levels on our environment. The key gases are CO2 (carbon dioxide) and CH4 (methane), which have the biggest impact on the Earth?s atmosphere.

Levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have increased dramatically in the last 50 years to levels currently (2005) exceeding 370 ppm. This alarming trend is thought to be a significant factor in global warming.

ESA is considering using a LIDAR instrument to monitor the levels of CO2 within the atmosphere. The most effective wavelength to detect CO2 is at 2 ?m due to its deep absorption signature at this wavelength.

SSTL has been awarded a contract from ESA to develop a new detector to address this spectral region. SSTL will prime the activity with Sheffield and Heriot Watt Universities and Lidar Technologies Ltd as subcontractors. The total contract value is ?400k and will be undertaken in 18 months.