The First ESA Remote Sensing Satellite (ERS)--The Programme and the System

The European Space Agency is preparing the development of the first ESA Remote Sensing Satellite (ERS) System. This first mission is oriented towards ice and ocean monitoring and the main mission objectives are of both scientific and economic nature: (i) to increase the scientific understanding of coastal zones and ocean processes; and (ii) to develop and promote economic applications related to a better knowledge of ocean parameters and sea state conditions. The payload of ERS-1 is composed of : (i) an Active Microwave Instrumentation (AMI) combining the functions of a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), a Wave Scatterometer and a Wind Scatterometer, primarily for the measurement of wind fields and wave spectra and for all-weather imaging; (ii) a Radar Altimeter (RA), primarily for the measurement of significant wave heights; and (iii) an Ocean Colour Monitor (OCM), primarily for the measurement of sea surface temperature and ocean colour. The above payload will be assembled with an existing platform which is being developed in the framework of the French Remote Sensing Programme and will be launched by ARIANE 2 (or 3) in 1987 on a sun- synchronous orbit at 675 km.