About understanding our planet Seeing the whole picture Early pictures of the Earth seen from space became icons of the Space Age and encouraged an increased awareness of the precious nature of our common home.   Today, images of our planet from orbit are acquired continuously and have become powerful scientific tools to enable better understanding and improved management of the Earth and its environment.     Exploring Earth dynamics   For an improved understanding of the environment it is vital to see the Earth as the complex, dynamic system it is. Satellites provide clearer views of the various components of the Earth system – its land, ice, atmosphere, biosphere and oceans – and how these processes interact and influence each other.       Last update: 3 February 2010  •  The Changing Earth (http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/SP-1304.pdf)