description Envisat Overview
Envisat was a large Earth-observation satellite operated by the European Space Agency (ESA). Launched into polar orbit in 2002, the spacecraft carried ten instruments to monitor the atmosphere, ocean, land, and ice. Key instruments included the Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) and the MEdium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS), which provided continuous environmental data. After doubling its planned five-year mission lifespan, communication with the satellite was lost in 2012.
help Envisat FAQ
What did Envisat's 10 instruments measure?
Its payload observed the atmosphere, oceans, land, and ice using radar, optical, and spectrometric instruments. Major instruments included ASAR for radar imaging, MERIS for ocean and land color, and SCIAMACHY for atmospheric gases.
Why was Envisat useful even when clouds covered Earth?
Its Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar could image the surface through clouds and in darkness. That capability supported monitoring of sea ice, floods, land deformation, and oil spills.
What happened to Envisat in 2012?
ESA unexpectedly lost contact with the satellite in April 2012 after about a decade of operations. Attempts to restore communications failed, ending a mission originally launched aboard an Ariane 5 in 2002.
Which satellites continued Envisat's Earth-observation work?
Europe's Copernicus Sentinel missions inherited many of its observation roles with newer, specialized spacecraft. Sentinel-1 supplies radar imagery, while Sentinel-3 continues important ocean and land measurements associated with Envisat instruments.
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