The European Space Agency ESA has launched two satellites from a northern Russian base in Archangelsk, containing Dutch technology. One satellite will collect data important for research into climate change. The other is carrying 17 new inventions developed by the Dutch technical institute TNO in Delft for testing. The whole project is costing 315 million euros.

The first satellite, the SMOS (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity) will do research into the earth’s water cycle. A vicious circle is created when the surface of the earth gets dryer, causing the air above it to become less moist. This raises the earth’s temperature, which in turn leads to the evapouration of sea water, thus increasing the level of salinity in the oceans. When the oceans become saltier this has an effect on the ocean currents, drastically changing the climate in some places.

The SMOS satellite has been developed by the European institute for space research ESTEC in the Dutch coastal town of Noordwijk. It is the second in a series of European satellites for the observation of the earth.

Earlier this year ESA launched the GOCE, which is mapping the earth’s gravity fields during the next two years. The information will give scientists better insights into increases in sea levels, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

In the coming years, another four satellites are due to be launched which will study wind, ice, snow and magnetic fields.