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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Clouds are visible masses of minute water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere. They come in various shapes and sizes and are found at different altitudes. Clouds play a crucial role in Earth's climate system by reflecting sunlight back into space, known as the albedo effect, and by trapping heat radiating from Earth's surface, part of the greenhouse effect.
However, it’s complicated. For example, high, thin clouds tend to warm the atmosphere because a high proportion of energy from the Sun can pass through and they are also efficient at trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface. Low, thick clouds on the other hand, tend to have a cooling effect as they reflect a high proportion of the incoming sunlight back out to space.
Today, clouds have an overall cooling effect, but this cooling could become less pronounced in the future further contributing a warming climate.
ESA’s EarthCARE mission is designed to shed new light on this important area of science.
Read more: Clouds and aerosols in the climate system