ESA Earth observation chief: politics is fracturing climate cooperation

Simonetta Cheli, who leads ESA's Earth observation programs, said the agency runs more than 20 missions and plans over 40 more, having launched three spacecraft in three weeks. She said NASA budget cuts and political shifts mean ESA and the U.S. no longer attend climate conferences together, while growing private satellite constellations are forcing more collision-avoidance maneuvers.

• ESA operates over 20 Earth observation missions and plans more than 40 more
• Three missions launched in three weeks, including Sentinel-3C for land and sea temperature
• 39 of 68 IRIDE satellites are in orbit, with eight launched in October
• Collision-avoidance maneuvers are rising due to private satellites