Copernicus

Copernicus is a European system for monitoring the Earth using satellites and in situ sensors.

More about Copernicus

Sentinel series

Missions developed for the specific needs of the Copernicus Programme.

ASpot - copernicus sentinel 3 CA Fires Aug 2020

Access Copernicus data

The Copernicus Programme provides users with free, full and open access to environmental data.

Top of the atmosphere view from ISS. Credit: ISS/NASA

Copernicus Atmosphere

EUMETSAT provides data to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), which is operated by ECMWF.

Copernicus Climate

EUMETSAT provides data to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), which is operated by ECMWF.

Copernicus Marine

EUMETSAT provides data to the Copernicus Marine Service, which is operated by Mercator Ocean International.

WEKEO

EUMETSAT, ECMWF, Mercator Ocean International and the EEA have developed the WEKEO data information and access service (DIAS) to provide fast and easy access to Copernicus data and products.

The Earth observation satellites contributing data to Copernicus are split into two groups of missions: the Copernicus Sentinels and the contributing missions.

Last Updated

16 February 2023

Published on

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 and -6 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 Data User Uptake

Copernicus data user uptake report 2021

The 2021 report tracks the growing numbers of users and download volumes, in part a result of newly-available products from Sentinel-6 and the atmospheric composition data streams of Sentinel-3.

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Copernicus Data User Uptake 2020 Report

Copernicus user statistics of 2020

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Copernicus Data User Uptake 2019 Report

Copernicus user statistics of 2019

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Copernicus Technical Operating Agreements

Copernicus Space Component

28 January 2021

Technical Operating Arrangement between EUMETSAT & The University of Chile

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Copernicus Sentinel-6: Monitoring the global ocean

The Copernicus Sentinel-6A Michael Freilich ocean-monitoring satellite was launched at 18:17 (CET) on November 2020 from Vandenberg air force base, California.

WEKEO

EUMETSAT, ECMWF, Mercator Ocean International and the EEA have developed the WEKEO data information and access service (DIAS) to provide fast and easy access to Copernicus data and products.

Copernicus CO2 Monitoring Mission (CO2M) science support

Science studies initiated by EUMETSAT in support of CO2M ground segment development activities.

Related pages

Candidate Locations for Copernicus Ocean Colour System Vicarious Calibration Infrastructure

Study into five candidate locations for optimal placement for potential OC-SVC infrastructure.

Copernicus Data Usage Terms and Conditions

Terms and Conditions applicable to Data and Products from Copernicus Sentinel Missions operated by EUMETSAT.

New algorithm GPD+ improves Sentinel-3 SRAL/MWR WTC

Newly released algorithm GPD+ improves Sentinel-3 SRAL/MWR WTC.

Science for Marine Surface Temperature (Sci4MaST)

Scientific service framework for Copernicus SST and IST product improvement and cal/val tool development and evolution.

Aerosol for Copernicus EUMETSAT Swansea (ACES)

Study on Sentinel-3 SLSTR AOD retrieval investigations using the prototype software from Swansea University.

SARP: SLSTR AOD retrieval performance

Studying the performance of the Sentinel-3 SLSTR sensor to provide a mature AOD product.

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