The Living Planet Programme, approved by the ESA Council in November 1998, was the first ESA strategy for Earth observation, drawn up in consultation with the European Commission and EUMETSAT (The European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) and managed by the ESA Directorate of Earth Observation Programmes. It consisted of two types of Earth observation mission: research missions known as Earth Explorers and Earth Watchers as prototype operational missions.  

Space Shuttle Columbia carried the Spacelab module on flight STS-78 for the LMS mission, which took place over 17 days from 20 June to 7 July 1996 and carried out research into the effects of long-duration spaceflight on human physiology in preparation for flights on the International Space Station.