The European Space Agency (ESA) is an intergovernmental organization comprised of 22 member states which include major European countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Greece, and Hungary and was officially founded in 1975 during the ESA Convention. The main mission of the ESA is to promote research and the use of technology amongst European nations in space applications for peaceful and scientific purposes.
With its 649 crore EUR budget, the ESA conducts earth observations, engages in space Engineering and Technology, and use such technology in telecommunication and integrated application. It has launched a number of space programs including the Copernicus Program, Cosmic Vision, ExoMars, Galileo, and the Living Planet Program which have been able to bring groundbreaking evidence in space research.
List of Best ESA Online Courses and Certificate Programs
Here are the best ESA online courses that will help you in enriching your knowledge and experience. So try any of them which you find the best.
1. A NEW ONE: Impact of COVID-19 Measures on Atmospheric Composition – ESA
As a result of the coronavirus, countries around the world established some drastic measures to contain its spread which include the closure of schools and colleges, a ban on international travel, restriction of air travel, and even a complete lockdown. This has led to a significant decrease in anthropogenic emissions.
This course will also help you to learn about the ’Impact study of COVID-19 lockdown measures on air quality and climate’(ICOVAC) project which has analyzed the atmosphere and its contents during the COVID Pandemic.
Course Highlights:
- Learn how the global pandemic has led to a decrease in industry and vehicular emissions.
- Learn the impacts of such reduced emissions on the atmosphere.
- Learn about the findings of the ICOVAC Project.
Course Duration: Self Paced
2. Land in Focus – Basics of Remote Sensing – ESA
This course will help you to understand the theoretical fundamentals of remote sensing and will help you learn about the various remote sensing technologies that can be applied over land surfaces.
By the end of this course, you will have understood the process of remote sensing imagery and gained the necessary technical knowledge to understand the various dimensions of remote sensing data.
Course Highlights:
- Learn about the basic working principles of remote sensing.
- Learn to process remote sensing data.
- Understand the essential remote sensing analysis techniques.
- Learn about remote sensing packages.
Course Duration: Self Paced
3. Echoes in Space – ESA
This course will help you understand the principles of Radar Remote Sensing and its application by teaching you its history, its working process, and the various areas in which it is applied, and how it can be used to save our planet.
Further, this course will provide you with hands-on experience in handling real-life Radar Remote Sensing Data in a number of application scenarios such as that in analyzing land, water, and in hazard management.
Course Highlights:
- Gain a Certificate of Achievement upon completing this course.
- Learn about the basics of radar technology by visiting its history.
- Learn about the SAR principle and the ways in which we use Radar data.
- Learn about the application of Radar Remote Sensing Technology in forest, urban, and agriculture applications.
- Learn about the application of Radar Remote Sensing Technology in water applications and in hazard management.
- Get hands-on experience in analyzing real-world data.
Course Duration: 5 weeks
4. EO from Space: The Cryosphere – ESA
This course will provide you with an introduction to the importance of satellite earth observation(EO) in observing the cryosphere where water exists both in liquid form and in the form of glaciers, sea ice, and ice caps. In this course, you will also learn about the challenges associated with the observation of the cryosphere using satellite technology.
Further, you will improve your knowledge of the impacts of climate change and will help you gain insight into how satellite imaging can help in examining and assessing the cryosphere for better policy-making.
Course Highlights:
- Get introduced to the practice of assessing the cryosphere using satellite earth observation technologies.
- Learn about the assessment of specific cryospheric components such as sea ice, ice caps, ice sheet, and ice shelves.
- Learn how cryosphere assessment can aid in making better mitigation decisions.
Course Duration: 4 weeks
5. Earth Observation from Space: The Optical View
This course will provide you with an introduction to the method of optical Earth observation procedures using various imaging techniques such as photography, imaging in various wavelengths, lidar, and other optical sensing technologies.
This course will teach you the methods by which you can conduct simple analysis using a wide range of different types of optical data. Besides learning about the application of such technologies, you will also get to learn about how data from such imaging is used in diverse fields ranging from climate change to humanitarian relief.
Course Highlights:
- Get introduced to the various imaging techniques used in earth observation.
- Learn how satellite data can be used with other methods of measurement.
- Learn about the main type of data gained from Copernicus and other missions.
- Learn how earth observation data can be used in policy-making.
Course Duration: Self Paced
6. Earth Observation: Disruptive Technology and New Space – ESA
This course will help you learn about the extensive use of big data analysis, 3d data visualization, cloud computing, and blockchain technologies in analyzing the humongous amount of data recorded by earth observation satellites.
Further, this course will provide you with an insight into the future of space technology and the concept of space 4.0. Besides the 3 base modules, this course provides an extra module where you will be able to learn about the ways in which you can empower the next generation of earth observation innovators.
Course Highlights:
- Learn about technologies such as big data analysis, AI, cloud computing, and blockchain and how they are being extensively used in analyzing data collected from satellites.
- Learn about the concepts of Space 4.0 and Embracing Space 4.0
- Learn from experts in earth observation and other related technologies.
Course Duration: Self Paced
7. Monitoring Climate from Space – ESA
This course will teach you how satellite earth observation data can be utilized in examining and monitoring climate and environmental change. Through this course, you will be able to learn how such monitoring can be used in better policymaking and how such observation satellites can be used to measure and observe the Earth.
Further, this course will help you to develop the necessary skills for creating climate models from earth observation data.
Course Highlights:
- Learn how earth observation satellite data can be used and interpreted to monitor climate and environmental change.
- Learn from Professor Martin Wooster, a leading expert in the field.
- Learn how the proper analysis of the data can be used to make better decisions in terms of policies.
- Recommended for educators, policymakers, and communicators.
Course Duration: Self Paced
8. The Frozen Frontier: Monitoring The Greenland Ice Sheet from Space – ESA
This course will help you understand the various ways in which the Greenland Ice Sheet is changing as a result of climate change and global warming. In this course, you will be able to look at measurements made by EO satellites like Cryostat and will get to know about the various technologies involved in assessing the condition of the Greenland Ice Sheet.
By the end of this course, you will have learned about the data processing methods involved in such monitoring and how this data produced can be utilized for better policymaking.
Course Highlights:
- Learn about the impact of ice on the climate system and the impact of climate change on the Greenland ice sheet.
- Learn about the operational processes of earth observation satellites.
- Learn about the complexity involved in melting ice systems.
- Learn how data obtained from such satellites are used to produce a complete picture of changes occurring to the ice sheet.
Course Duration: Self Paced
9. 6th ESA Advanced Course on Radar Polarimetry 2021 – ESA
This course contains the materials and videos of the 6th ESA Advanced Course on Radar Polarimetry 2021. Through this course, you will be able to develop the necessary technical knowledge about various imaging instruments such as SAR(synthetic aperture radar), PolSar(Polarimetric synthetic aperture radar), and programs such as the SNAP(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).
Course Highlights:
- Learn about the basics of Synthetic-Aperture Radar and its applications.
- Learn about the BIOMASS Mission which ensures the proper distribution of forest biomass by reducing the uncertainty in calculating carbon stock.
- Contains theoretical as well as a practical demonstration of the PolSAR system.
- Contains theoretical as well as a practical demonstration of the Pol-TomoSAR system.
Course Duration: Self Paced
10. 9th ESA Advanced Training Course on Land Remote Sensing 2019 (focus on Agriculture) – ESA
This course contains the educational material from the 9th ESA Advanced Training Course on Land Remote Sensing 2019 (focus on Agriculture) and provides you with a comprehensive lesson on Land Remote Sensing and its techniques including SAR application, concepts of LAI/fCover/fAPAR/Chlorophyll retrieval, methods of forecasting yield through satellite data and about the installation of the Sen2Agri system.
Course Highlights:
- Learn about the Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 missions and instrument performances.
- Learn about the concepts of optical pre-processing and time series quality analysis.
- Learn about the basics of SAR remote sensing.
- Provides practicals in the Pre-processing and multi-temporal analysis of SAR time series.
- Learn about crop type mapping.
- Provides practical lessons on Biophysical variables retrieval and time series smoothing.
- Learn about the Sen2Agri system.
- Learn about Water stress detection, evapotranspiration indicator and irrigation management
Course Duration: Self Paced
11. InSAR Principles – ESA
This three-part course will introduce to you the procedure of interferometry and will equip you with the skills necessary for acquainting yourself to SAR image processing and interpretation. The course further provides you with a practical approach and the technical background necessary for InSAR processing and helps you gain a deep understanding of the interferometric process.
Course Highlights:
- Get introduced to the process of radar interferometry.
- Recommended for beginners looking for a course providing a practical approach to InSAR imaging.
- The third part of this course focuses on the mathematical aspect of imaging to gain a better understanding of the subject.
- Learn about ERS/Envisat interferometry.
Course Duration: Self Paced
12. 6th ESA Advanced Course on Ocean Remote Sensing 2019 – ESA
This course contains the materials and videos from the 6th ESA Advanced Course on Ocean Remote Sensing 2019 held at the Center of Mediterranean Architecture in Crete (Greece) which will help you learn about the remote sensing of the ocean. Moreover, this course will help you learn technical knowledge about various processes including those required in investigating the ocean surface based on its colour, ocean altimetry, and investigating ocean surface current and transport through satellite data.
Course Highlights:
- Understand how the ocean mesoscale and sub-mesoscale can be explored using remote sensing.
- Learn how large-scale ocean processes can be investigated using a synergistic approach.
- Learn how wind waves and current measurements can be made from space.
- Learn how ocean surface salinity, and marine organic carbon(theory and practical included).
- Learn to measure ice thickness.
- Learn about the polar seas and the changing sea ice.
Course Duration: Self Paced
13. 11th ESA Training on Earth Observation 2021 – ESA
This course contains the materials and videos of the 11th ESA Training on Earth Observation 2021 provides you with an introduction to the ESA and its earth observation objectives along with teaching you the application of SAR and Optical imaging in a variety of fields and provides theoretical knowledge as well as practical materials for the same.
By the end of this course, you will have gained a new perspective on the use of SAR and interferometry techniques because of their wide use in multiple fields.
Course Highlights:
- Learn about the European Space Agency Earth Observation missions.
- Learn about the application of the use of SAR inland under the guidance of the RUS Copernicus team.
- Learn about the use of SAR in marine application – ship detection with Sentinel-1.
- Learn about the application of Optical Remote Sensing for marine applications and the derivation of Nearshore Bathymetry using the Sentinel-2 in a practical demonstration.
- Learn about the atmospheric application of SAR.
Course Duration: Self Paced
