Copernicus is a European system for monitoring the Earth using satellites and in situ sensors.
Access Copernicus data
The Copernicus Programme provides users with free, full and open access to environmental data.
EUMETSAT provides data to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), which is operated by ECMWF.
EUMETSAT provides data to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), which is operated by ECMWF.
EUMETSAT provides data to the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS), which is operated by Mercator Ocean International.
The Earth observation satellites contributing data to Copernicus are split into two groups of missions: the Copernicus Sentinels and the contributing missions.
03 December 2020
26 March 2020
Data from these sources are then processed and provided to users through a set of six Copernicus services: land, marine, atmosphere, climate change, emergency management and security. The Copernicus programme provides users with free, full and open access to environmental data.
What is EUMETSAT'S role?
EUMETSAT provides data, products and support services to the Copernicus information services and user communities, with a focus on marine, atmosphere and climate.
This involves delivering Earth observation data services to Copernicus from the Sentinel satellites, from its own Metop and Meteosat missions, from the ocean-monitoring Sentinel-3 satellites and Jason-3, and from missions of its international partners (e.g. USA, China, India and Japan).
EUMETSAT is responsible for operating the Sentinel-3 and Sentinel-6 satellites and will also operate and deliver products from the Sentinel-4, and Sentinel-5 instruments onboard Meteosat Third Generation and Metop Second Generations satellites, respectively.
In addition, upon request of the EC, EUMETSAT will also be responsible for delivering data and products from Sentinel missions to third parties around the world.
The Sentinel missions
The Earth observation satellites which provide the data used by the Copernicus services are split into two groups of missions: the Sentinels and the contributing missions.
Currently being developed for the specific needs of the Copernicus programme, Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, Sentinel-3, Sentinel-5P and Sentinel-6 are dedicated satellites, while Sentinel-4 and Sentinel-5 are instruments onboard EUMETSAT’s MTG and Metop-SG satellites.
EUMETSAT is responsible for operating the Sentinel-3 satellites and delivering the marine mission and will also operate and deliver products from the Sentinel-4 , and Sentinel-5 instruments, and the Sentinel-6 satellites.
The contributing missions
The contributing missions, are operated by national, European or international organisations and provide a wealth of data for Copernicus services.
EUMETSAT delivers products to Copernicus from a number of contributing missions that include its Metop and Meteosat satellites, the Jason-3 satellite (NASA/NOAA/CNES/EUMETSAT/EU), and also from international partners, for example sea surface temperature and ocean colour data from the US Suomi-NPP satellite.
Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich undergoes rigorous testing
Once the state-of-the-art Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite launches in November, it will collect the most accurate data yet on sea level — a key indicator of how Earth's warming climate is affecting the oceans, weather and coastlines.