Germany’s first hyperspectral satellite
Under the motto “More than all colours (Mehr als alle Farben) – EnMAP”, the German environmental mission EnMAP launched into space in 2022. The mission delivers im-portant and unique data that is already having a tangible impact in the fields of raw ma-terial security, agriculture, climate protection and governance. It demonstrates how im-portant it is for Europe to maintain technological sovereignty in hyperspectral remote sensing.
For example, EnMAP can locate deposits of rare earth elements, which are essential for the production of high-tech products such as electric motors, smartphones and wind turbines. This capability is particularly relevant in the current geopolitical climate. The ability to identify critical raw materials before they become scarce creates room for manoeuvre.
Germany has built up expertise in the construction and operation of hyperspectral systems, as well as in data-based analysis and industrial application development. This accumulated compe-tence makes Germany a sought-after partner in international collaborations – within Europe through ESA, globally and in bilateral projects.
A 1:2 scale model of the satellite is on display at the stand of the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR).
The mission is led by the German Space Agency at DLR on behalf of the BMFTR. OHB Sys-tem AG in Bremen was responsible for the development and construction of the satellite and the hyperspectral instrument. The mission is under the scientific leadership of the GFZ Helm-holtz Centre for Geosciences.
Three DLR institutes and facilities have established and operate the ground segment: the Ger-man Space Operations Center in Oberpfaffenhofen monitors the satellite, and the German Re-mote Sensing Data Center and the Remote Sensing Technology Institute receive, calibrate and process the satellite data and make it accessible to the scientific community.
Link:
German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR
German Space Agency at DLR
E-Mail contact-dlr@DLR.de
