Overview
Copernicus is the European Union's Earth observation and monitoring program, designed to analyze the planet and its environment for the benefit of all European citizens. Coordinated and managed by the European Commission, it provides information services based on Earth observation data, facilitating access to up-to-date, accurate, and free information in multiple application areas.
This program operates using a wide variety of technologies, ranging from observation satellites to in-situ measurement sensor systems. Thanks to this combination of data sources, Copernicus enables comprehensive monitoring of environmental phenomena and is today a fundamental tool for public administrations, scientific institutions, businesses, and citizens interested in the study and management of land use.
The Copernicus program is structured into three major components that work together to ensure the acquisition, processing, and distribution of geospatial information.
The main satellites of the Sentinel constellation include:
- Sentinel-1: Synthetic aperture radar useful for land and maritime surveillance.
- Sentinel-2: Provides medium-to-high-resolution multispectral imagery for monitoring changes in land cover, vegetation, and agriculture.
- Sentinel-3: Enables global monitoring of the oceans and land surface, measuring temperature and sea altimetry.
- Sentinel-4 and Sentinel-5: Sensors focused on monitoring atmospheric composition.
- Sentinel-6: High-precision altimetry for measuring global sea surface height, primarily for monitoring sea level rise, operational oceanography, and climatological studies.
The development of the space component, including the launch of the Sentinel satellites, has been delegated to ESA, which also acts as the satellite systems architect and ensures their technical coordination. Furthermore, the operation of the satellites has been entrusted to ESA and EUMETSAT based on their technical expertise and experience.
The In Situ Component complements satellite data with information obtained from ground stations, ocean buoys, atmospheric sensors, and other global monitoring networks. This data is essential for the calibration and validation of space-based information, ensuring greater accuracy and reliability in Copernicus final products.
In situ data are highly diverse and can be generated and maintained by entities other than the Copernicus programme itself, such as Member States or international research centers. The main challenge related to in situ data is its identification, access, and use according to Copernicus needs.
The European Environment Agency (EEA) leads this in situ component and works on cataloging and identifying the data, searching for possible gaps, defining the required technical requirements, and strengthening agreements with member countries aimed at providing their in situ data within the program.
Using spatial data and in-situ measurements, Copernicus offers six operational services designed to transform information into useful products and tools for decision-making.
These services are:
- Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS): Monitoring of air quality, greenhouse gases and atmospheric pollution.
- Copernicus Marine Service (CMS): Analysis of oceans and seas, including temperature, currents, and water quality.
- Copernicus Land Monitoring Service (CLMS): Assessment of land cover, biodiversity and natural resources.
- Climate Change or Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S): Analysis of climate trends and projections of environmental impact.
- Security: Support in the management of humanitarian crises, border control and the fight against illegal activities.
- Emergencies or Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS): Response to natural disasters such as fires, floods and earthquakes.
These services allow public administrations, companies, and international organizations to access critical information for land management and strategic decision-making.