Earth Observation

Image of Earth taken from ATSR

Making observations of the land, sea and air from space allows scientists to develop and improve their models of our environment. Space instruments provide continuous global measurements for many years at a time, allowing events like El Nino to be studied.

STFC’s main spaced-based and ground-based capabilities include:

• Broad Band Radiometer (BBR)
• Topsat
• GEostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB)
• Chilbolton Atmospheric Observatory (CAO)
• SISTeR
• Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR)
• Mesosphere-Stratosphere-Troposphere (MST) RADAR
• MARSCHALS
• ENVironmental monitoring SATellite (ENVISAT)
• European Incoherent SCATter (EISCAT)
• Remote Sensing Group (RSG)

RAL Space scientists contribute to and underpin UK international programmes in environmental science. To find out more information on these capabilities and expertise, please see the RAL Space website.