Envisat

Envisat, the Environmental Satellite, was a large Earth observation satellite operated by the European Space Agency and the world's largest civilian Earth observation satellite. It was launched on 1 March 2002 on an Ariane 5 from Kourou in French Guiana into a Sun synchronous polar orbit at about 790 kilometres. Its instruments supported studies of atmospheric chemistry, ozone depletion, ocean temperature and colour, hydrology, natural hazards, maritime traffic, and snow and ice, continuing the work of the European Remote-Sensing satellites. ESA lost contact with it on 8 April 2012 and formally announced the end of the mission on 9 May 2012, before it could be deorbited, and the defunct satellite remains in orbit. It was developed and built under the industrial lead of Astrium, the business that later became part of Airbus Defence and Space.