Introducing EnMAP: Germany's Hyperspectral Satellite for Earth Observation
21 Oct 2024
With the application deadline for our 2nd EnMAP user workshop approaching on Nov. 18, we're taking the opportunity to introduce the EnMAP mission.
21 Oct 2024
With the application deadline for our 2nd EnMAP user workshop approaching on Nov. 18, we're taking the opportunity to introduce the EnMAP mission.
© EnMAP Data @DLR [2023/2024]
What is EnMAP?
The Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program (EnMAP) is Germany’s first hyperspectral satellite, successfully launched on April 1, 2022, from Cape Canaveral (Florida, USA) aboard a SpaceX rocket. It‘s designed to revolutionize how we monitor environmental changes on Earth. With two spectrometers, recording wavelengths from visible light to shortwave infrared (approx. 400 to 2500 nanometers), EnMAP provides highly detailed insights into the Earth’s surface: from vegetation and land use to water quality, urbanization and geology.
How does it work?
Orbiting the Earth 640 km above ground, EnMAP captures 30-km-wide strips of land. These strips are stored as 30x30 km tiles, and when pieced together like a mosaic, they reveal larger areas. Every 27 days, the satellite records the same location, enabling us to monitor changes over time. The data can be analyzed with ready-developed algorithms that are provided in the open-source software package „EnMAP Box“, which is accessible as a free QGIS plugin.
What can we do with EnMAP?
EnMAP’s data allows us to observe dynamic processes across different wavelengths—tracking biodiversity, water quality, emissions, and environmental pollution. It’s a game-changer for studying phenomena like plant growth, environmental stress, and even disasters. EnMAP provides continuous, actionable data for the sustainable management of our natural resources. Stay tuned as we explore its many applications next week — from analyzing coastal ecosystems to monitoring agricultural productivity.
Information on the 2nd EnMAP User Workshop
Read more on EnMAP here: