The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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The Queen Mary 2 is fitted with a scanning infrared radiometer to validate satellite measurements of sea-surface temperature. This sensor is positioned high on the starboard bridge wind, giving a perfect view of the water below. The mix of transatlantic crossings and tropical round-the-world cruises offer an ideal combination of hot and cold-water measurements and atmospheric conditions measurements for validating satellite data. The instrument, developed by Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, is a compact self-calibrating infrared filter radiometer that uses two internal reference blackbodies to maintain its own calibration. Rather surprisingly, a modified beer cooler houses these reference blackbodies.