ERS-2 data vital for maritime security   Service providers speak     The white dots in the animation are all of the vessels detected by the SAR instrument aboard ERS-2. Green dots represent vessels equipped with a transponder and identified by the Automatic Identification System (AIS). (Green circles represent the vessel location, while green lines represent the track of the vessel). Red dots are unidentified, potentially suspect vessels. Satellite synergy within 30 minutes     The follow-on from ERS-1, ESA's ERS-2 Earth Observation satellite remains operational more than a decade after its 1995 launch. Its payload includes a unique C-band scatterometer that can measure wind fields at the heart of storms of hurricanes, even through clouds and heavy rain. Release date: 18 August 2008