The Sentinel-1D earth observation satellite launched from the spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. It lifted off shortly after 10 p.m. aboard an Ariane 6 rocket and will replace an older Sentinel in the Copernicus program. The launch was broadcast from ESA's control center in Darmstadt.
The Sentinel-1D launch took place in the evening from the spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The rocket lifted off shortly after 10 p.m., as broadcast from the European Space Agency (ESA) control center in Darmstadt. The satellite will be controlled from there and join the Copernicus program, a joint initiative of the European Commission and ESA.
Sentinel-1D will replace an older satellite in the program. According to ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, Copernicus enables measurements of ice, agricultural developments, climate, storms, or floods. The onboard radar penetrates clouds and detects changes on Earth in the millimeter range from an altitude of 700 kilometers. The probe costs around 200 to 300 million euros.
ESA considers itself the world leader in Earth observation. The data document changes on land and water surfaces and aid disaster protection. With Sentinel-1D, there are now twelve Copernicus satellites in orbit, said Katrin Molch, head of ESA's Mission Management department. The nominal lifespan is seven years; «we hope for ten,» she added.