The European Space Agency (ESA) in the space pavilion has launched a new Internet portal devoted to Earth observation.
The site, accessible from ESA's homepage at www.esa.int, features a mass of information about the organisation's remote sensing activities.
Explaining why the portal has been launched, ESA Earth observation director Jos‚ Achache says: "Probably one of the most significant achievements of the space age has been the re-evaluation of planet Earth.
"When the exploration of space started in the 1960s, space was regarded solely as the means of leaving the Earth to investigate the ends of the universe." Since then, a remarkable change in perspective has taken place. The process of space exploration served to underline the unique value and fragility of the Earth environment.
Data
"The data returned from satellites turns out to have qualities that classical ground-based observation techniques simply cannot match.
"The portal has been designed to inform people in a clear way, not just about individual missions, but about Earth observation as a whole. I hope people will visit it so they can judge the importance of these activities for themselves."
Source: Flight Daily News
