Resolution (2007): Ionospheric monitoring satellite missions
IUGG, noting the ability of low Earth orbiting satellites to provide spatial and temporal monitoring of the topside ionosphere and to define the near-Earth environment, and recognizing that an extended time series of satellite observations of magnetic/electric fields and of plasmas in the Earth's ionosphere are crucial for a wide spectrum of geoscience and space science studies, and understanding that the DEMETER mission will end in 2008, welcomes plans by several nations to launch ionospheric monitoring satellite missions, among them the unique equatorial orbiting Italian Space Agency satellite ESPERIA.