17/09/2024
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Decrease than two weeks after being launched into orbit, Sentinel-2C has delivered its first pictures. These spectacular views of Earth present a sneak peek on the data that this new satellite tv for pc television for computer will current for Copernicus – Europe’s world-leading Earth comment programme.
The third Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite tv for pc television for computer was launched from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana aboard the final word Vega rocket on 5 September at 03:50 CEST (4 September 22:50 native time).
Like its siblings, Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B, the satellite tv for pc television for computer carries a multispectral imager that takes high-resolution pictures of Earth’s land, islands, and inland and coastal waters from its orbital altitude of 786 km.
With a giant swath width of 290 km, it provides regular imagery in 13 spectral bands with resolutions of 10 m, 20 m and 60 m.
Solely per week after launch, Sentinel-2C acquired a rich preliminary set of pictures all through the globe, which have been processed by the Copernicus Ground Section.
One in all many first pictures incorporates a transparent view of Seville and surroundings in southern Spain. Seville, the capital of Andalusia, lies on the Guadalquivir River, one in all many longest rivers in Spain. Seville holds the Presidency of the Ariane 2024 Neighborhood of Cities, and is residence to the headquarters of the Spanish Space Firm.
Due to the satellite tv for pc television for computer’s spectacular 290-km-wide swath, one different image supplies a protracted strip that stretches from Camargue and Montpellier in southern France all the easiest way all the way in which right down to south of Barcelona in Spain.
Sentinel-2C moreover seen an house of south of Los Angeles in California. Proper right here, the image, acquired on 12 September, has been processed using the multispectral imager’s completely totally different bands to concentrate on one in all many wildfires that the state is at current battling.
The pure colour image on the left captures smoke billowing from the Airport Fireside whereas the false colour image on one of the best has been processed using the instrument’s shortwave infrared and near-infrared channels to level out the massive house that has been burned and the energetic fires, which might be seen as vivid orange spots.
On a additional serene bear in mind, one different image choices Lighthouse Reef, part of the massive coral reef system off the coast of Belize in Central America. Proper right here the well-known Good Blue Hole might be seen – an unlimited marine sinkhole.
ESA’s Director of Earth Comment Programmes, Simonetta Cheli, talked about, “These preliminary pictures stand as a extremely efficient testament to the success of this extraordinary mission. Whereas Sentinel-2 will proceed to serve Copernicus with distinction for years to return, we’re already wanting ahead as we develop the next chapter with the Sentinel-2 Subsequent Know-how mission.”
Following the completion of Sentinel-2C’s launch and early orbit part, with the satellite tv for pc television for computer working as anticipated, the multispectral imager will spend the next three months being calibrated as part of the commissioning part.
Sentinel-2C commissioning actions are carried out in parallel with the routine operations of Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, Sentinel-3 for land, and Sentinel-5P.
No matter being early in its mission, the usual of these first pictures has already surpassed expectations.
Constantin Mavrocordatos, Sentinel-2 Problem Supervisor at ESA, remarked, “We’re thrilled to see the Copernicus Sentinel-2C already capturing such breathtaking pictures of Earth so rapidly after its launch. That’s simply the beginning of the unbelievable insights and detailed data it will current, serving to us greater understand our planet.”
Francisco Reina, Sentinel-2 Payload Supervisor, added, “It is truly distinctive how successfully the multispectral instrument had been calibrated even sooner than the satellite tv for pc television for computer was launched, producing such beautiful first pictures. This achievement is the outcomes of a formidable collaboration between ESA and the Airbus teams all by means of the instrument’s development part.”
Copernicus Sentinel-2 data are used for a broad fluctuate of capabilities, along with agriculture, water prime quality monitoring, pure disaster administration, along with wildfires, volcanic eruptions and floods.
As for all Copernicus missions operated by ESA, Sentinel-2 data are freely accessible by means of the Copernicus Information Space Ecosystem. Information from the model new ‘C’ satellite tv for pc television for computer will doubtless be accessible to prospects as quickly because the satellite tv for pc television for computer is completely commissioned.
The Sentinel-2 mission is part of Copernicus – the Earth comment a part of the European Union’s Space programme.
