Speaker
Description
The FLourescence EXplorer (FLEX), the photosynthesis satellite, is the 8th Earth Explorer mission of the European Space Agency (ESA). FLEX will measure global maps of the solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) at 300 m spatial resolution, which will contribute to a better understanding of plants’ photosynthesis and the global carbon cycle. With the launch of FLEX approaching in 2026, the German FLEX project office is helping to build the user community. We are the interface between users and ESA, the FLEX mission advisory group and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). We aim to engage scientists from various backgrounds – not only SIF experts – into using the very high spectral resolution hyperspectral data that FLEX will deliver. There is for example potential in the aquatic community but required data products may differ from those for terrestrial applications. The FLEX project office communicates the user needs back to the relevant sources, informs about the mission status and provides resources for public outreach, updates on the state-of-the-art of SIF research, example datasets and support for grant applications.
