Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Using cutting-edge technology, ESA’s FLEX mission is designed to reveal new insights into how plants function by measuring the faint fluorescence they emit as they capture light during photosynthesis. To do this the satellite carries an instrument called FLORIS.
The animation shows light from Earth entering FLORIS through the instrument aperture. The polarisation effects are removed, and the light is then focused by the telescope optic before being separated into two dedicated optical paths: one feeding the high-resolution spectrometer (optimised for the faint fluorescence signal) and the other feeding the low-resolution spectrometer (which records complementary atmospheric and reflectance data). Finally, the light is dispersed into its constituent frequencies and converted by highly sensitive detectors into digital data, enabling FLEX to reveal the activity and health of vegetation across our planet.
Credits: ESA/ATG medialab
Access the video on the ESA video library: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2026/08/Signal_flow_through_FLEX_s_FLORIS_instrument
Our main YouTube channel: youtube.com/@EuropeanSpaceAgency
We are Europe's gateway to space. Our mission is to shape the development of Europe's space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. Check out https://www.esa.int/ to get up to speed on everything space related.
Copyright information about our videos is available here: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Terms_and_Conditions
Using cutting-edge technology, ESA’s FLEX mission is designed to reveal new insights into how plants function by measuring the faint fluorescence they emit as they capture light during photosynthesis. To do this the satellite carries an instrument called FLORIS.
The animation shows light from Earth entering FLORIS through the instrument aperture. The polarisation effects are removed, and the light is then focused by the telescope optic before being separated into two dedicated optical paths: one feeding the high-resolution spectrometer (optimised for the faint fluorescence signal) and the other feeding the low-resolution spectrometer (which records complementary atmospheric and reflectance data). Finally, the light is dispersed into its constituent frequencies and converted by highly sensitive detectors into digital data, enabling FLEX to reveal the activity and health of vegetation across our planet.
Credits: ESA/ATG medialab
Access the video on the ESA video library: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2026/08/Signal_flow_through_FLEX_s_FLORIS_instrument
Our main YouTube channel: youtube.com/@EuropeanSpaceAgency
We are Europe's gateway to space. Our mission is to shape the development of Europe's space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. Check out https://www.esa.int/ to get up to speed on everything space related.
Copyright information about our videos is available here: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Terms_and_Conditions
![What a cosy evening on the ISS looks like 🍵 [French with English subtitles]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/f2vDosge2h4/mqdefault.jpg "What a cosy evening on the ISS looks like 🍵 [French with English subtitles]
This video was published on social media by ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot with the following caption:
[EN] Day 169, orbit 2618 — Cozy evening time in my crew cabin — something I’m definitely going to miss when I’m back on Earth… A few emails, a pouch of herbal tea, a few yin yoga stretches and then off to sleep!
[FR] Jour 169, orbite 2618 – Moment cocooning du soir dans ma cabine de couchage, qui va me manquer une fois de retour sur Terre… Quelques emails, une tisane, des étirements de yin yoga et au lit !
Credits: European Space Agency (ESA)
Footage: ESA/NASA
Our main YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@EuropeanSpaceAgency
We are Europes gateway to space. Our mission is to shape the development of Europes space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. Check out https://www.esa.int/ to get up to speed on everything space related.
Copyright information about our videos is available here: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Terms_and_Conditions")
