A second satellite to join the constellation that forms the European Data Relay System (EDRS) has finished fuelling and is days away from launch. This was reported by the European Space Agency (ESA) on 27 July.

It is understood that EDRS uses innovative laser technology to dramatically cut the time needed for Earth observation satellites to deliver information to the ground. The system enables observations of the Earth almost live, accelerating responses to emergency situations and spurring the development of new services and products, thereby creating jobs and prosperity, it is claimed.