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Envisat

Environmental Satellite

Mission Status: Terminated on 9 May 2012
Launch Date: 01 March 2002
Instrument Type: Atmospheric temperature and humidity sounders, Imaging microwave radars, Communications, Precision orbit, Atmospheric chemistry, Radar altimeters, Imaging multi-spectral radiometers (visible/infrared), Imaging multi-spectral radiometers (passive microwave)

Envisat was the world's largest civilian Earth observation satellite, providing data for a wide range of applications in the fields of oceanography, atmospheric physics, land cover and climate change. Its mission ended in 2012, but its data continue to be analysed, providing invaluable insights into our planet.

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Scientific Instruments

Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR): A multi-channel imaging radiometer, which collected data in the visible and infrared range to measure ocean parameters such as sea surface temperature.
Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR): An imaging radar system that provided high-resolution images of Earth's surface.
Global Ozone Monitoring by Occultation of Stars (GOMOS): An instrument that measured atmospheric concentrations of gases, ozone and aerosols.
Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS): A multi-spectral imaging instrument designed to monitor changes in Earth's land, oceans and atmosphere.
Michelson Interferometer for Passive Atmospheric Sounding (MIPAS): An infrared spectrometer designed to measure the concentrations of atmospheric trace gases.
Microwave Radiometer (MWR): Designed to measure atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles, as well as soil moisture and ocean salinity.
Radar Altimeter 2 (RA-2): Measured the distance between the satellite and Earth's surface, by emitting and receiving radio waves.
Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for Atmospheric Cartography (SCIAMACHY): Measured atmospheric trace gases and aerosols, providing invaluable data for climate research.

Platform

Doppler Orbitography and Radio-positioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS): Used to determine the precise position of the satellite.
Laser Retro Reflector (LRR): Used to precisely determine the satellite's position in orbit.
related data applications