Agency
01/12/2025
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A British-backed European Space Agency mission that will advance scientists’ understanding of Earth’s water cycle was launched into orbit.
The two-satellite HydroGNSS mission will use an innovative technique called Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) reflectometry reveal new information about variables that shape the water cycle. This approach measures how signals emitted by global navigation systems – such as Galileo and GPS – change after they reflect off Earth’s surface.
HydroGNSS satellite: Scouting for water
HydroGNSS was lofted into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on 28 November, as part of the Transporter-15 rideshare flight from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Both satellites are now safely in orbit around Earth.
The mission is backed by the UK Space Agency and forms part of the ESA’s Scout framework. It was manufactured by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) in Guildford.
You can read the full story about the HydroGNSS launch on the Earth observation pages of esa.int.
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