[ad_1]
Paris, November 23, 2020. – A new family member: Copernicus Sentinel-6 was successfully launched on Saturday on a SpaceX Falcon 9.
The 1.2-ton satellite took off from SpaceX’s Vandenberg Air Force Base in California and entered its orbit an hour after takeoff, the European Space Agency (ESA) said.
Sentinel-6 is equipped with the latest radar altimetry technology and will monitor ocean topography and sea level.
“Monitoring sea surface height is critical to understanding the changes taking place so that decision makers have the evidence to implement appropriate policies to help curb climate change and for authorities to take action to protect vulnerable communities.” , ESA said.
Copernicus Sentinel-6, which is shaped like a house, bears the name Michael Freilich, in honor of the NASA oceanographer who died in August.
The new satellite follows ESA’s previous ERS and Envisat satellites and complements today’s CryoSat and Copernicus Sentinel-3. An identical satellite, Copernicus Sentinel-6B, will be launched in five years to take over the mission, ensuring data continuity until at least 2030, ESA said.
[ad_2]
Source link
