An ARIANE 5 rocket launched the ENVISAT satellite on the 1st March, 2002 at 02:07:59 (CET) hrs. The satellite follows in the footsteps of ERS 1 and 2 in its mission to provide support for research into global warming and climate change and in pollution and disaster monitoring. It provides complete coverage of the earth within one to three days. Its nine instruments deliver data about the Earth's land, oceans, atmosphere and ice caps.