"The first check-up of the Earth" - Media event at ESA/ESRIN, Frascati (Italy)

Paris, 14 March 2002

During the night of 28 February/1 March, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched its Envisat satellite on an Ariane 5 launcher from Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Envisat, Europe's most ambitious Earth Observation satellite, follows in the footsteps of ESA's successful ERS-1 and ERS-2 missions launched in the 1990s, and will improve global and regional monitoring of our planet. It represents a major contribution by ESA to the European GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) initiative. The satellite will support research activities, government programmes and commercial applications in the fields of global change, pollution and disaster monitoring.

Since launch, all operations such as solar array, radar and antenna deployment have taken place nominally, as has activation of the ten instruments on board.

On Thursday 28 March, the first image produced by Envisat will be released to the media and the general public.

The provisional programme for the day (see below) includes an introduction by J. Achache, ESA Director of Earth Observation Programmes, an update on the status and first results of the mission, and contributions by key European scientists discussing the potential for exploitation of the data in their various fields of expertise.

If you wish to attend this event which will take place at ESA's Establishment in Italy, ESRIN (in Frascati, Rome), please return the attached accreditation request duly completed to Franca Morgia (Fax: +39.06.9418.0952).

For further information, please contact :
ESA, Media Relations Office
Tel: +33(0)1.53.69.7155
Fax: +33(0)1.53.69.7690

Provisional Programme

ENVISAT FIRST IMAGE EVENT
ESA/ ESRIN, 28 March 2002

11:30 Introduction
Mr José Achache, Director of Earth Observation Programmes

Video "Envisat first Earth check-up data"

Update on Envisat status and operations since launch
Mr Jacques Louet, Envisat Programme Manager

Envisat data acquisition and ground segment operations
Mr Stephen Briggs, Head of the Earth Observation Applications Department

Envisat first image unveiling

Intervention by five key scientists (specialists on ASAR and MERIS) :

- Dr. R. Doerffer, GKSS Research Centre, Institute for Coastal Research, Germany
- Prof. A. Morel, Laboratoire de Physique & Chimie Marines, France
- Prof. H. Rott, University of Innsbrück, Austria
- Prof. F. Rocca, Politecnico of Milan, Italy
- Prof. D. Wigham, University College, United Kingdom

13:30 End of the event

ENVISAT FIRST IMAGE EVENT
ESA/ESRIN, 28 March 2002

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ESA/ESRIN
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Press Release N° 13-2002