Name | Status | Agency | Launch | Description |
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ALOS-2 | Active | JAXA | 2014 | |
ALOS-4 | Active | JAXA | 2024 | |
Alsat-2A and 2B | Active | Algerian Space Agency (ASAL) | 2016 | |
Amazônia-1 | Active | Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) | 2021 | |
Aqua | Active | NASA | 2002 | Carries six instruments to observe interactions among the four spheres for Earth's systems: oceans, land, atmosphere, and biosphere. |
ASNARO-2 | Active | JAXA | 2018 | |
Aura | Active | NASA | 2004 | Studies earth's ozone, air quality, and climate though observation of composition, chemistry, and dynamics of the atmosphere. |
Badr-B | Active | Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) | 2001 |
Cartosat-1 | Active | Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) | 2005 | |
Cartosat-2A and 2B | Active | ISRO | 2007 | |
Cartosat-2C, 2D, 2E, and 2F | Active | ISRO | 2016 | |
Cartosat-3 | Active | ISRO | 2019 | |
CBERS-4 | Active | Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and China National Space Administration (CNSA) | 2014 | |
Chollian 1, 2A, and 2B | Active | KARI | 2010 | Also known as Communication, Ocean and Meteorological Satellites (COMS). Used for communication, oceanography, and meteorological observation. |
CloudSat | Active | NASA | 2006 | Uses radar to measure the altitude and properties of clouds. |
COSMO-SkyMed 1 to 4 | Active | Italian Space Agency (ASI) | 2007 | Used for defense and security assurance in Italy and other countries, seismic hazard analysis, environmental disaster monitoring, and agricultural mapping. |
CryoSat-2 | Active | ESA | 2010 | |
CYGNSS | Active | NASA | 2016 | Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System. |
DSCOVR | Active | NASA | 2015 | Deep Space Climate Observatory. Designed to study the Sun-lit side of Earth from the L1 Lagrange point. |
DubaiSat-1 and 2 | Active | Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) | 2009 | |
EarthCARE | Active | ESA and JAXA | 2024 | Designed to study clouds and aerosols. |
Elektro-L No. 1, 2, and 3 | Active | Russia's Roscosmos | 2011 | |
Fengyun 2D to 4A | Active | China Meteorological Administration | 2006 | Translated from Chinese, the word Fengyun means "wind cloud." Series 3 satellites are Sun-synchronous and series 2 and 4 satellites are geosynchronous. |
Formosat-5 | Active | Taiwan’s National Space Organization (NSPO) | 2017 | |
Gaofen-2 | Active | CNSA | 2014 | |
Gaofen-3 | Active | CNSA | 2016 | |
GOES-16 and 17 | Active | NASA | 2016 | Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite. Collects weather observations. See also: List of GOES satellites. |
Gokturk-1 | Active | Turkish Ministry of National Defense | 2016 | Used for mapping and planning, landcover survey, geology, ecosystem monitoring, disaster management, environmental control, coastal zone management, and water resources. |
Gokturk-2 | Active | Turkish Ministry of National Defense | 2012 | Used for mapping and planning, landcover survey, geology, ecosystem monitoring, disaster management, environmental control, coastal zone management, and water resources. |
GPM | Active | NASA and JAXA | 2014 | Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory. Used to study rainfall and snowfall. |
GOES-16, -17 | Active | NASA | 2016 | monitors weather for NOAA. |
GRACE-FO | Active | NASA | 2018 | Gravity and climate. The mission will track changes in global sea levels, glaciers, and ice sheets, as well as large lake and river water levels, and soil moisture. |
GOSAT | Active | JAXA | 2009 | Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite. The first precise carbon dioxide observing satellite and precursor to OCO-2. |
Himawari 8 and 9 | Active | Japan Meteorological Agency | 2014 | Similar to NASA's GOES satellites. |
ICESat-2 | Active | NASA | 2018 | Measures ice sheet height changes for climate change diagnoses. |
IMS-1 | Active | ISRO | 2008 | |
ISS | Active | NASA, Roscosmos, JAXA, ESA, and CSA | 1998 | The International Space Station (ISS) has long been used as a central satellite platform for other sensors, including Earth observation sensors. For example: LIS, SAGE III, TSIS-I, ECOSTRESS, GEDI, OCO-3, Diwata-1, and HICO. |
Jason-3 | Active | NASA and CNES | 2016 | Radar altimeter used to monitor ocean surface height. |
KhalifaSat | Active | MBRSC | 2018 | Also known as DubaiSat-3. |
KOMPSAT-2 | Active | KARI | 2006 | Korean Multi-purpose Satellite-2. Also known as Arirang-2. |
KOMPSAT-3, 3A, and 5 | Active | KARI | 2012 | Korean Multi-purpose Satellite-3, 3A, and 5. Also known as Arirang-3, 3A, and 5. |
LAGEOS-1 and 2 | Active | NASA | 1976 | LAGEOS 1 launched in 1976 and LAGEOS 2 launched in 1992. Used as an orbiting benchmark for geodynamical studies. |
Landsat-7 | Active | NASA and USGS | 1999 | Images Earth's land surfaces and coastal areas with global coverage at high spatial resolution. |
Landsat-8 | Active | NASA and USGS | 2013 | Follow on to Landsat-7 with improved imager OLI and thermal sensor TIRS. |
Landsat-9 | Active | NASA and USGS | 2021 | Follow on to Landsat-8 with OLI sensor and thermal sensor TIRS-2. Landsat-9 will extend the Landsat program to maintain the time series of these type of data. |
Megha-Tropiques | Active | CNES and ISRO | 2011 | |
Meteor-M No. 1 and 2 | Active | Roscosmos | 2009 | |
Meteosat 8 | Active | EUMETSAT | 2002 | Also known as MSG 1. |
MetOp A, B, and C | Active | NASA, ESA, and NOAA | 2006 | Meteorological Operational satellite. Part of the Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) program. |
Mohammed VI-A and VI-B | Active | Arianespace and Morocco | 2017 | See also: Vega flight VV11 and Vega flight VV13 |
NigComSat-1R | Active | NASRDA | 2009 | DFH-4 satellite and replacement for the failed NigComSat-1 |
NigeriaSat-1 and 2 | Active | NASRDA | 2003 | Part of the worldwide Disaster Monitoring Constellation System |
NOAA-15, 18, and 19 | Active | NASA, ESA, and NOAA | 1998 | Part of the Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) program. |
NOAA-20 | Active | NASA and NOAA | 2017 | Part of the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) program. |
Oceansat-2 | Active | ISRO | 2009 | |
OCO-2 | Active | NASA | 2014 | Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2. Part of the A-Train. The second precise carbon dioxide observing satellite after GOSAT. |
PACE | Active | NASA | 2024 | Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, and ocean Ecosystem measures hyperspectral and polarimetric characteristics of solar radiation reflected off Earth’s surface and atmosphere. |
PakTES-1A | Active | SUPARCO | 2018 | |
Paz | Active | Spain's Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial | 2018 | |
Pleiades 1A and 1B | Active | CNES | 2011 | |
PRISMA | Active | Italian Space Agency (ASI) | 2019 | PRecursore IperSpettrale della Missione Applicativa, in English: Hyperspectral PRecursor of the Application Mission. |
PROBA-V | Active | ESA | 2013 | Continues the traditional Vegetation (the "V" in PROBA-V) products that began with the SPOT satellites. |
PRSS-1 | Active | SUPARCO | 2018 | Pakistan Remote Sensing Satellite 1. |
RCM | Active | CSA | 2019 | RADARSAT Constellation Mission. |
RADARSAT-2 | Active | CSA | 2007 | C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR-C) satellite. |
RASAT | Active | TÜBITAK-UZAY | 2011 | |
Resourcesat-1 and 2 | Active | ISRO | 2003 | |
Resurs-P No.1 and 2 | Active | Roscosmos | 2013 | |
SAOCOM | Active | CONAE | 2018 | |
SARAL | Active | ISRO | 2013 | |
Sentinel-1A, B and C | Active | ESA | 2014 | Constellation of two, each satellite carries C-SAR sensor. Part of the Copernicus Programme. |
Sentinel-2A, B, and C | Active | ESA | 2015 | Constellation of three, each satellite carries MSI sensor for high spatial resolution imaging. Part of the Copernicus Programme. |
Sentinel-3A and B | Active | ESA | 2016 | Constellation of two, each satellite carries sensors OLCI and SLSTR. Slightly coarser spatial resolution and more spectral bands than Sentinel-2. Part of the Copernicus Programme. |
Sentinel-6A | Active | ESA | 2020 | Continuing the legacy of the Jason series missions, Sentinel-6/Jason-CS will extend the records of sea level (sea surface height) and provide information for operational oceanography, marine meteorology, and climate studies. |
SMAP | Active | NASA | 2015 | Soil Moisture Active Passive. Measures soil moisture and its freeze/thaw state, which enhance understanding of processes that link water, energy, and carbon cycles to extend the capabilities of weather and climate models. Radar payload failed in July 2015, leaving a radiometer as the primary instrument of the mission. |
SORCE | Active | NASA | 2003 | monitors total output from the Sun for understanding of Earth's absorption of radiation energy. |
Suomi NPP | Active | NASA | 2011 | Part of the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) program. |
SWOT | Active | NASA | 2022 | |
TanDEM-X | Active | DLR | 2010 | |
Terra | Active | NASA | 1999 | Carries five instruments to observe the state of the atmosphere, land, and oceans, as well as their interactions with solar radiation and with one another. |
TerraSAR-X | Active | DLR | 2007 | |
THEOS | Active | GISTDA | 2008 | Also known as Thaichote. |
TIMED | Active | NASA | 2001 | Thermosphere, Ionosphere, Mesosphere, Energetics, and Dynamics. |
VNREDSat-1A | Active | VAST | 2013 | The Vietnamese Natural Resources, Environment and Disaster Monitoring Satellite. |
VRSS-1 and 2 | Active | ABAE | 2012 | The Venezuelan Remote Sensing Satellite. |
Sentinel-5 Precursor (S5P) | Active | ESA | 2017 | |
SMOS | Active | ESA | 2009 | |