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science1d ago
ESA Steps Up Earth Monitoring, As NASA And NOAA Missions Face Uncertain Futures
- ESA raises its Earth-monitoring budget to €22.069 billion over three years, expanding data and mission capabilities.
- New and existing missions like Biomass, Sentinel-1D, Sentinel-5A, and Sentinel-6B are part of ESA's enhanced plan.
- ESA plans a 'digital twin' of Earth by aggregating data from multiple satellites for real-time monitoring.
- U.S. funding outlook for Earth science remains uncertain amid proposals to cut NASA and NOAA missions.
- Potential U.S. cuts could affect missions like Terra, Aqua, and PACE, impacting climate study and weather data.
- RAMSES is planned to probe Apophis in 2028 to understand its makeup and potential deflection strategies.
- ESA emphasizes its ability to operate independently while welcoming international partnerships.
- The ministerial council also targeted space-weather monitoring to protect satellites and communications.
- The article notes near-Earth object surveys and a plan to observe and potentially deflect hazardous asteroids by mid-2030s.
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