Earth Observation Satellites: Earth Observation (EO) uses high-tech tools to monitor our planet’s land, seas, rivers, lakes, and atmosphere. Satellites take detailed images of Earth’s features. Experts then analyze these images to find valuable information for various fields and industries.

About Earth Observation System

The Earth Observing System (EOS) uses satellites to watch Earth. It studies things like land, oceans, atmosphere, and life.

• EOS observations will allow for evaluation of a variety of Earth system processes, including the following:
  • Hydrologic processes govern the interactions of land and ocean surfaces with the atmosphere via heat, mass, and momentum transport.
  • Biogeochemical processes that contribute to trace gas and aerosol formation, dissipation, and transport, as well as their global distributions.
  • Climatological processes that govern cloud formation and dissipation, as well as their interactions with solar radiation.
  • Ecological processes that are affected by and/or will be affected by global change, as well as their adaptation to such changes.
  • Geophysical processes that have shaped or continue to shape the Earth’s surface, such as tectonics, volcanism, and glacier and sea ice melting.
• The EOS mission aims to deepen our understanding of Earth’s system by studying its components and how they interact.
• EOS will provide systematic, continuous observations from low Earth orbit to quantify changes in the Earth system.

List of Earth Observation Satellites

Need for Earth Observation Satellites

• To tackle China’s advantage in the Ladakh region, we need to counter their extensive Electronic Observation Systems (EOS). China’s troop movements in 2020 caught us off guard due to our limited EOS capabilities.
• The Indian Ocean Region is seeing a rise in China’s influence, posing a threat. We must enhance surveillance there using advanced systems.
• Drones have limitations, especially when flying over enemy territories as they can be shot down. Instead, we should rely on satellite imagery which can provide detailed views even in remote areas, aiding in timely action and tracking suspicious activities.
• Strengthening our border management is crucial, especially along the Pakistan-Bangladesh border, to combat infiltration and smuggling which threaten our national security.
• Assessing damage post-attack is vital for refining our strategies against enemy targets in the future, creating opportunities for better defense.

Read Also: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)