[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/www.ieec.cat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/slider-comunicacio.jpg” max_height=”130px” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”24px||11px|||” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Unitats de recerca” module_class=”ieec-orgs” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|700||on|||||” text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”|700|||||||” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” header_font_size_tablet=”28px” header_font_size_phone=”26px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoiY3VzdG9tX21ldGFfb3JnYW5pemFjaW9uZXMiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiIiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImVuYWJsZV9odG1sIjoib2ZmIn19@[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_post_title author=”off” categories=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” admin_label=”T\u00edtol i data” module_class=”ieec-title” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”Cairo|300|||||||” title_font_size=”40px” meta_font=”||on||||||” meta_font_size=”16px” title_font_size_tablet=”35px” title_font_size_phone=”30px” title_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_text admin_label=”Subt\u00edtols” module_class=”ieec-summary” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Source Sans Pro||on||||||” text_font_size=”24px” text_line_height=”1.1em” text_font_size_tablet=”22px” text_font_size_phone=”20px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_title title=”off” meta=”off” module_class=”ieec-img-container” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” border_width_top=”10px” border_color_top=”#406fda” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_text module_class=”ieec-img-footer” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”15px” text_line_height=”1.1em” background_color=”rgba(64,111,218,0.15)” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”30px|20px|30px|20px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Illustration of HydroGNSS, one of ESA\u2019s new Scout missions being developed within the Earth Observation FutureEO programme. ESA\/Mlabspace<\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n The <\/span>European Space Agency<\/span><\/a>‘s (ESA) Scout missions are agile, low-cost Earth observation projects designed to test new technologies. Researchers from the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC \u2014 Institut d\u2019Estudis Espacials de Catalunya) at the <\/span>Institute of Space Sciences<\/span><\/a> (ICE-CSIC) participate in the first of these missions, called <\/span>HydroGNSS<\/span><\/a>, which was launched yesterday, 28 November 2025. Composed of two identical satellites launched from California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, its objective is to advance the global understanding of water availability and the effects of climate change on Earth’s hydrological cycle.<\/span><\/p>\n Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) in the UK confirmed that signals had been received by the KSAT ground station in Svalbard (Norway), indicating that both satellites were safely in orbit around Earth. Both satellites will use an innovative technique called Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) reflectometry<\/strong> to quite literally \u2018scout for water\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n This is a remote sensing technique that uses <\/span>reflections of navigation satellite signals off the Earth’s surface to measure physical parameters of the Earth<\/b>. Specifically, HydroGNSS satellites capture L-band signals (radio waves used in satellite communications) from navigation systems such as GPS (Global Positioning System, from the USA) and Galileo (satellite navigation system of the European Union), which transmit L-band microwave signals that vary as they reflect off the Earth’s surface. This allows the satellites to compare the reflected signals with direct GNSS signals, received from navigation systems without touching the Earth’s surface, to <\/span>obtain relevant information about properties related to the water cycle,<\/b> among other aspects.<\/span><\/p>\n To do this, each satellite carries a delay Doppler mapping receiver, a system that generates an energy map, with a function similar to a photograph, which allows scientists to understand what the surface is like where the emitted signal bounces. This receiver consists of two antennas: a zenith antenna, which tracks direct GNSS signals and a nadir antenna, which collects reflected signals and processes them into delay-Doppler maps. Using this technique, these two small satellites, which orbit Earth 180 degrees apart, will measure soil moisture, freeze\u2013thaw state, inundation and above-ground biomass. This data will not only be vital for advancing our understanding of Earth\u2019s water cycle, but also for supporting applications such as flood prediction and agricultural planning.<\/span><\/p>\n Also, by observing the extent of inundation and areas of wetland, <\/span>HydroGNSS will help reveal wetlands often hidden beneath forest canopies<\/b>\u2013ecosystems that can act as significant sources of methane. Information on freeze\u2013thaw states will provide insight into the surface radiation balance, energy and carbon exchanges with the atmosphere, and the behaviour of subsurface permafrost in high latitudes. Meanwhile, data on above-ground biomass will contribute to estimates of forest carbon stocks and their role in the global carbon cycle.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis mission will demonstrate a cost-effective way to monitor key variables of hydrology, the climate and the oceans, with strong impact on our everyday life,\u201d says<\/span> Estel Cardellach, IEEC researcher at the ICE-CSIC, and pioneer in the study and development of the GNSS reflectometry technique.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_class=”section-title” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”25px” header_2_font_size_tablet=”23px” header_2_font_size_phone=”23px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” custom_padding=”||0px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The mission will provide measurements of climatic hydrological variables, such as humidity, flooded areas, frost line, and forest biomass. These will be key to helping scientists understand climate change and will contribute to the development of weather models, ecological mapping, agricultural planning, and flood preparedness.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe HydroGNSS satellites will demonstrate new features of the GNSS reflectometry technique, which will improve spatial resolution of the measurements and their accuracy,\u201d says Weiqiang Li, IEEC researcher at the ICE-CSIC who participates in the mission.<\/span><\/p>\n The IEEC team at the ICE-CSIC is responsible for the development and implementation of the<\/strong> algorithms for surface water detection<\/strong>, what is called the surface inundation and wetlands product. These algorithms run operationally at the payload data ground segment to deliver, in short latency, the locations with presence of water over land, due to permanent water bodies, flooding, inundation or wetlands\u2019 extension. The GNSS-R technique has the capacity to detect surface water during day and night, in all weather conditions and even under extremely thick vegetation canopies. This makes it a unique technique that complements traditional approaches such as optical imaging or synthetic aperture radars, techniques that present limitations or are one to two orders of magnitude more expensive.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_font_size=”21px” text_line_height=”1.1em” background_color=”#406fda” text_orientation=”center” width=”70%” width_tablet=”70%” width_phone=”70%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” module_alignment=”center” custom_padding=”40px|50px|40px|50px|true|true” custom_padding_tablet=”40px|50px|40px|50px|true|true” custom_padding_phone=”30px|20px|30px|20px|true|true” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” text_font_size_tablet=”21px” text_font_size_phone=”19px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cThis mission will demonstrate a cost-effective way to monitor key variables of hydrology, the climate and the oceans, with strong impact on our everyday life,\u201d says Estel Cardellach, IEEC researcher at the ICE-CSIC.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Furthermore, for the first time, a GNSS reflectometry mission works at two different polarizations, two different electromagnetic frequency bands and captures complex signals continuously at high sampling rates.<\/span><\/p>\n The Earth Observation research group at ICE-CSIC<\/strong>, to which Estel Cardellach and Weiqiang Li belong, has over 20 years of experience in the innovative GNSS technique<\/strong>. The researchers are part of the mission consortium, which also includes teams from La Sapienza University, Tor Vergata University and Istituto di Fisica Applicata \u201cNello Carrara\u201d (IFAC \u2013 CNR) in Italy, Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), National Oceanography Centre (NOC) and University of Nottingham in the UK. <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_class=”section-title” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”25px” header_2_font_size_tablet=”23px” header_2_font_size_phone=”23px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Drawing inspiration from the spirit of New Space, the Scouts champion agility and innovation\u2013harnessing small, smart satellites to shrink proven technologies or test bold new ways of observing our planet.<\/span><\/p>\n Each mission races from concept to launch in just three years, on a lean budget of \u20ac35 million that covers everything from design and construction to in-orbit operations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ESA\u2019s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, Simonetta Cheli, said, \u201cAs the first of ESA\u2019s Scout missions to launch, HydroGNSS marks an important milestone for this new family of rapid, low-cost Earth observation missions.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u201cThe launch also represents a key step in the evolution of our FutureEO programme, where the Scouts embody a fast, agile, innovative and cost-efficient approach\u2013complementing our larger Earth Explorer research missions,\u201d she concluded.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#406fda” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Enlla\u00e7os” module_class=”ieec-sub-title” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Cairo|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#406fda” text_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Links<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”ieec-sub-text” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.1em” link_font=”|700|||on|||#1a1140|” link_text_color=”#1a1140″ link_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”20px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#406fda” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Contactes” module_class=”ieec-sub-title” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Cairo|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#406fda” text_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Contacts<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||20px|false|false” border_width_left=”1px” border_color_left=”#406fda” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.1em” link_font=”|700|||on|||#1a1140|” link_text_color=”#1a1140″ link_line_height=”1.4em” header_4_font=”|700|||||||” header_4_text_color=”#1a1140″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Castelldefels, Barcelona [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||20px|false|false” border_width_left=”1px” border_color_left=”#406fda” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1em” link_font=”|700|||on||||” link_text_color=”#1a1140″ header_4_font=”|700|||||||” header_4_text_color=”#1a1140″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_id=”ieec-about” module_class=”about-ieec” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”rgba(64,111,218,0.15)” global_module=”17324″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”20px|50px|20px|50px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Sobre l’IEEC” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”25px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”23px” header_2_font_size_phone=”23px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||on||||||” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC \u2014 Institut d\u2019Estudis Espacials de Catalunya) promotes and coordinates space research and technology development in Catalonia for the benefit of society. IEEC fosters collaborations both locally and worldwide and is an efficient agent of knowledge, innovation and technology transfer. As a result of more than 25 years of high-quality research, done in collaboration with major international organisations, IEEC ranks among the best international research centres, focusing on areas such as: astrophysics, cosmology, planetary science, and Earth Observation. IEEC\u2019s engineering division develops instrumentation for ground- and space-based projects, and has extensive experience in working with private or public organisations from the aerospace and other innovation sectors.<\/p>\n The IEEC is a non-profit public sector foundation that was established in February 1996. It has a Board of Trustees composed of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Universitat Aut\u00f2noma de Barcelona (UAB), Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Catalunya \u00b7 BarcelonaTech (UPC), and the Spanish Research Council (CSIC). The IEEC is also a CERCA centre.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" HydroGNSS will provide key data on humidity, freezing, flooding, and biomass to better understand the water cycle and the effects of climate change IEEC researchers at the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC) provide algorithms that will help in the detection of surface waters using the innovative GNSS reflectometry technique This is the first ESA’s Scout […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":41708,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"2880","footnotes":""},"categories":[111,74,98,106],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41717","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-highlighted-news-small","category-news","category-science","category-technology"],"yoast_head":"\nMeasuring hydrological climate variables<\/h2>\n
A milestone for Earth Observation<\/h2>\n
\n
IEEC Communication Office<\/h4>\n
E-mail: comunicacio@ieec.cat<\/a><\/p>\nLead Researcher at the IEEC<\/h4>\n
Estel Cardellach<\/h4>\n
Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC)
E-mail: cardellach@ieec.cat,<\/a> cardellach@ice.csic.es<\/a><\/p>\nAbout the IEEC<\/h2>\n