A brand-new Copernicus Sentinel satellite was successfully launched from the European Spaceport in French Guiana on board a Vega C rocket operated by Arianespace on December 5, 2024, at 18:20 local time or 22:20 CEST. The satellite sent its first signal to Earth at 00:12 CET, indicating it was successfully placed into orbit.
To continue delivering cutting-edge Earth Observation data and services freely, to public and private users, the European Commission launched an additional Copernicus Sentinel satellite, called Sentinel-1C. The launch is a result of cooperation with trusted partners, the European Space Agency and Arianespace.
Access to up-to-date radar data will allow public and private entities to improve their decision-making process and better address pressing environmental challenges such as seismic activities, floods and more.
Sentinel-1C will further contribute to detecting and monitoring among others:
- oil spills and illegal maritime activities
- floods, icebergs, and sea ice concentration
- landslides, volcanic and seismic activities
- vegetation, forest and agriculture activities
Sentinel-1C also reinforces Copernicus, the world’s most advanced Earth Observation system, by ensuring system redundancy and resilience.
“Tonight’s successful launch of the Copernicus Sentinel-1C satellite onboard a European launcher, Vega-C, is a key milestone not only for Copernicus but also for the EU Space Programme and the Union overall. In the current geopolitical landscape, autonomous earth observation data and autonomous access to space is even more pivotal for the Union. The Commission is working to ensure that the EU has continuous and independent access both to earth observation data and to space in order to best serve and protect its citizens,'' said Andrius Kubilius, Commissioner for Defence and Space.
What's new?
The Sentinel-1 satellite mission continues to advance, bringing new features and capabilities to its wide range of applications.
To improve its ship tracking capabilities, Sentinel-1C will be equipped with an AIS signal antenna. This will complement the satellite’s ability to detect non-cooperative ships by adding the capability to track and identify cooperative vessels. AIS improves Sentinel-1’s ability to monitor the movement of boats, indicating their direction and speed, supporting efforts to detect illegal activities, and helping ships avoid collisions.
Besides having an Automatic Identification System (AIS) signal antenna, Sentinel-1C's GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receivers will also be compatible with Galileo. The European Commission, in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), will conduct a demonstration of the Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS). This test will showcase the use of precise point positioning (PPP) enabled by Galileo’s E6 band, achieving onboard real-time accuracy of up to 0.2 metres. The demonstration will use Sentinel-1C’s advanced GNSS receivers and complete multiple orbits during the 6–7-hour test period.
Once operational, Sentinel-1C will ensure the continuity of the Sentinel-1 mission. The satellite will spend the coming months being calibrated before it becomes fully operational. Soon we will receive the first radar image of our planet.
Sentinel-1D construction is also under finalization and will be ready for launch in the coming year, further securing the mission’s long-term future. With Sentinel-1D, the Sentinel 1 mission will return to its nominal two-satellite constellation configuration.
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Details
- Publication date
- 6 December 2024
- Department
- Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space