# Earth observation satellite

> artificial satellite specifically designed to observe Earth from orbit

**Wikidata**: [Q854845](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q854845)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_observation_satellite)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/earth-observation-satellite

## Summary
An Earth observation satellite is an artificial satellite specifically designed to observe Earth from orbit. These satellites collect data about the planet's surface, atmosphere, and environment, supporting applications in weather forecasting, environmental monitoring, agriculture, disaster response, and military intelligence.

## Key Facts
- **Primary use**: Earth observation, including remote sensing and environmental monitoring
- **Subclass of**: Artificial satellite of the Earth
- **Related types**: Reconnaissance satellite, weather satellite, commercial Earth observation satellites (e.g., SPOT, EROS, ÑuSat)
- **Operated by**: Multiple countries (e.g., France, Argentina, Israel, China, Germany, Russia, India, South Korea)
- **Notable constellations**: Sentinel programme (ESA), PlanetScope (Planet Labs), RapidEye (Germany)
- **Inception**: 1970 (SPOT series)
- **Aliases**: Earth remote sensing satellite, EO satellite, satellite de télédétection
- **Dewey Decimal Classification**: 629.4352, 629.46

## FAQs
### Q: What is the difference between an Earth observation satellite and a weather satellite?
A: While weather satellites are a subset of Earth observation satellites, they are specifically designed to monitor atmospheric conditions and climate patterns. Earth observation satellites cover a broader range of applications, including land use, disaster management, and environmental monitoring.

### Q: Which countries operate Earth observation satellites?
A: Countries with active Earth observation satellite programs include France, Argentina, Israel, China, Germany, Russia, India, South Korea, and the United States.

### Q: What are some commercial Earth observation satellites?
A: Notable commercial satellites include the SPOT series (France), EROS (Israel), ÑuSat (Argentina), and the constellation operated by Planet Labs (PlanetScope and RapidEye).

### Q: How do Earth observation satellites contribute to disaster response?
A: These satellites provide real-time imagery and data to monitor natural disasters such as floods, wildfires, and earthquakes, aiding in emergency planning and recovery efforts.

### Q: What is the Sentinel programme?
A: The Sentinel programme is a series of Earth observation satellites operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) as part of the Copernicus programme, focusing on environmental monitoring and climate change research.

## Why It Matters
Earth observation satellites play a critical role in modern society by providing essential data for environmental monitoring, climate research, agriculture, urban planning, and disaster management. They enable scientists and policymakers to track changes in land use, deforestation, and natural disasters, supporting sustainable development and emergency response efforts. Additionally, commercial Earth observation satellites contribute to precision agriculture, infrastructure monitoring, and urban development by delivering high-resolution imagery and data analytics.

## Notable For
- **First commercial Earth observation satellite**: SPOT 1 (1986)
- **Global coverage**: Satellites like Sentinel-2 and Landsat provide continuous monitoring of Earth's surface
- **High-resolution imaging**: Satellites such as those in the EROS and ÑuSat series offer detailed imagery for military and civilian applications
- **Environmental monitoring**: Satellites like Huanjing and Kanopus-V track environmental changes and natural disasters
- **Commercial applications**: Planet Labs' constellation (PlanetScope and RapidEye) delivers frequent, high-quality imagery for agriculture, forestry, and infrastructure monitoring

## Body
### Overview
Earth observation satellites are artificial satellites designed to monitor and collect data about Earth's surface, atmosphere, and environment. They are used for a wide range of applications, including weather forecasting, environmental monitoring, agriculture, disaster response, and military intelligence.

### Types and Applications
- **Weather satellites**: Monitor atmospheric conditions and climate patterns (e.g., NOAA, MetOp)
- **Commercial satellites**: Provide high-resolution imagery for agriculture, urban planning, and infrastructure monitoring (e.g., SPOT, EROS, PlanetScope)
- **Military satellites**: Used for reconnaissance and surveillance (e.g., SARah, reconnaissance satellites)
- **Environmental monitoring**: Track changes in land use, deforestation, and natural disasters (e.g., Huanjing, Kanopus-V)

### Notable Satellites and Constellations
- **SPOT series**: France's Earth observation satellites, launched since 1970
- **Sentinel programme**: ESA's Copernicus programme, including Sentinel-2 for land monitoring
- **Planet Labs**: Operates the PlanetScope and RapidEye constellations for commercial and environmental applications
- **EROS series**: Israel's commercial Earth observation satellites
- **ÑuSat series**: Argentina's commercial Earth observation satellites

### Technical Specifications
- **Orbit**: Typically low Earth orbit (LEO) or sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) for consistent imaging
- **Payload**: Optical sensors (e.g., multispectral, hyperspectral) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for all-weather imaging
- **Resolution**: Ranges from meters to centimeters, depending on the satellite's capabilities

### Historical Development
- **Early satellites**: The first Earth observation satellites, such as Landsat 1 (1972), pioneered remote sensing
- **Commercialization**: The 1980s and 1990s saw the rise of commercial Earth observation satellites, including SPOT and IKONOS
- **Modern constellations**: Today, companies like Planet Labs and ESA operate large constellations for frequent, high-resolution imaging

## Schema Markup
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Earth observation satellite",
  "description": "An artificial satellite specifically designed to observe Earth from orbit.",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4271759",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_observation_satellite"
  ],
  "additionalType": "Spacecraft"
}

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. [OpenAlex](https://docs.openalex.org/download-snapshot/snapshot-data-format)