ESA study on Tipping Points launched: OHB and AWI discuss opportunities for future Earth observation missions

Bremen, October 15, 2026 -  How can abrupt changes in the Earth system be detected at an early stage? This question is at the heart of the new ESA study EO4TIPP (Future Earth Observation Architecture for Monitoring Earth system Tipping Points), which OHB is conducting together with the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) and the University of Exeter. The launch of the project was among the topics discussed during a visit to OHB’s Bremen facility by the new AWI Director, Dr. Hajo Eicken, and his delegation of leading climate, polar, and marine researchers. During the visit, the partners exchanged views on current challenges in climate research and the importance of advanced Earth observation systems for monitoring global changes in the Earth system.

"I am delighted to be working with AWI and the University of Exeter. Close collaboration between science and industry is essential to transforming scientific insights into innovative space solutions and further strengthening Europe’s Earth observation capabilities," said Marco Fuchs, Chief Executive Officer of OHB SE. 

Commissioned by the European Space Agency (ESA), the study will assess the suitability of existing and future Earth observation systems for the early detection and monitoring of tipping points in the Earth system. The two-years’ study focuses on four particularly relevant processes: the thawing of permafrost soils, dieback in the Amazon rainforest, a potential collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, and a collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Its objective is to identify the observation data most critical for monitoring these processes, highlight existing observation gaps, and derive recommendations for future Earth observation missions and monitoring services.

"Earth system tipping points are among the greatest challenges of our time. Detecting them at an early stage requires world-class scientific research and powerful Earth observation capabilities," emphasized Dr. Stephan Holsten, Head of Earth Observation in the predevelopment department at OHB. "As part of the study, we are analyzing which data is essential for monitoring tipping points, where gaps still exist today, and how future Earth observation architectures can be further developed in a targeted way," Holsten added.

The space and technology group OHB is leading in the field of Earth observation. Missions such as Copernicus CO2M, for which OHB is developing and building the satellites as prime contractor, the German hyperspectral mission EnMAP for monitoring environmental and climate processes, and the ESA mission Harmony, which will provide new insights into the dynamics of oceans, ice surfaces, and land surfaces, demonstrate the close collaboration between the scientific community and the space industry.

Together, these missions contribute to a better understanding of our planet’s dynamics, enable more precise monitoring of climate change, and continuously advance Europe’s capabilities in Earth observation.


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