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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Rising seas are one of the biggest threats to society. Satellite altimeters play an important role in monitoring global and regional changes in sea level. However, making sure we understand how well satellite altimeters are working requires continuous work and very specific technology on the ground. The ESA Fiducial Reference Measurements for Satellite Altimetry Project works with the international satellite altimetry community to develop a standardised approach to validating measurements made from space, such as those from the Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission. This short video explains how measurements are taken from the top of a mountain to make sure users get the best data on sea height from satellite altimetry.