NASA is on the cusp of launching its Sentinel-6B Earth satellite, a collaborative effort with European partners, in a bid to track sea levels across more than 90% of our planet's oceans. The mission, which has been years in the making, marks a significant milestone in the ongoing quest for better understanding of global sea surface heights.
Set to lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, Sentinel-6B will embark on a 57-minute journey into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Once it reaches orbit, the satellite will take over as the primary source of sea level measurements, complementing its twin, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, which was launched five years ago.
With its advanced instruments and cutting-edge technology, Sentinel-6B is poised to provide valuable data that will inform storm forecasting, secure coastal infrastructure, and optimize commercial activities like shipping. The satellite's observations will also help build an accurate picture of local and global sea surface heights, supporting research into seafloor features and the impact of climate change.
The mission has garnered significant international attention, with collaborations between NASA, ESA, EUMETSAT, NOAA, and other organizations contributing to its success. The European Commission provided funding support, while France's space agency CNES contributed technical expertise.
As Sentinel-6B embarks on its new chapter in orbit, researchers are eager to begin cross-calibrating data collected by the satellite with that of its twin. Once completed, the mission will take over as the primary source of sea level measurements, building upon a decades-long dataset.
The launch is scheduled for 12:21 a.m. EST on November 17, and fans can follow live coverage on NASA's website, including streaming video and photos of the event.
Set to lift off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, Sentinel-6B will embark on a 57-minute journey into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Once it reaches orbit, the satellite will take over as the primary source of sea level measurements, complementing its twin, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, which was launched five years ago.
With its advanced instruments and cutting-edge technology, Sentinel-6B is poised to provide valuable data that will inform storm forecasting, secure coastal infrastructure, and optimize commercial activities like shipping. The satellite's observations will also help build an accurate picture of local and global sea surface heights, supporting research into seafloor features and the impact of climate change.
The mission has garnered significant international attention, with collaborations between NASA, ESA, EUMETSAT, NOAA, and other organizations contributing to its success. The European Commission provided funding support, while France's space agency CNES contributed technical expertise.
As Sentinel-6B embarks on its new chapter in orbit, researchers are eager to begin cross-calibrating data collected by the satellite with that of its twin. Once completed, the mission will take over as the primary source of sea level measurements, building upon a decades-long dataset.
The launch is scheduled for 12:21 a.m. EST on November 17, and fans can follow live coverage on NASA's website, including streaming video and photos of the event.
IT'S AMAZING TO SEE HOW NATIONS ARE COMING TOGETHER TO STUDY OUR OCEANS AND UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE!!! 
THE TECHNOLOGY BEHIND SENTINEL-6B IS TRULY NEXT-GEN, AND I LOVE THAT IT'LL HELP US BETTER PREDICT STORMS AND KEEP OUR COASTAL INFRASTRUCTURE SAFE!!! 
WHAT'S ALSO AMAZING IS HOW THIS MISSION WILL HELP US BUILD A MORE ACCURATE PICTURE OF SEA LEVEL MEASUREMENTS... IT'S GOING TO BE SO USEFUL FOR SHIP OPERATIONS, SHIPPING, AND ALL KINDS OF COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES!!! 
... think this mission is gonna make a huge difference in tracking sea levels across our oceans, it's crazy to think we're already 90% covered! 
Plus, having all those international partners on board must've made the collaboration super smooth. EUMETSAT and ESA are definitely bringing their A-game with that funding support 
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... but Sentinel-6B is about to be the ultimate storm tracker! Shipping, coastal infrastructure, and all that will get a serious boost from this satellite. And the best part? We'll finally have some solid data on seafloor features and climate change effects 
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. so here's to Sentinel-6B, may you bring us the answers we need and inspire us to take action 
I mean, seriously, 90% of our planet's oceans? That's like, totally overwhelming. Don't get me wrong, the tech and all that sounds super cool and all... but can we please just have a thread without 5 million typos and spam comments? 
And what's with all these collaborations? It's like everyone's trying to be BFFs with NASA or something. Can't they just focus on the science for once?! 
Anyway, I guess I'll just tune in to watch Sentinel-6B launch... if the comments section doesn't drive me insane first 
I hope we're doing enough to mitigate these effects. What do you guys think? Are we on track with the Paris Agreement? Should we be doing more?
It's amazing how far we've come in just a few decades - from having no reliable way to track sea levels to now having two satellites that can give us a better grasp of our oceans 
And think about all the research that'll get done with this data... like, have you seen those storm forecasts lately? 
They're getting so much more accurate thanks to tech like this! Anyway, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a smooth launch and many years of valuable info for us 
NASA & their partners have put in so much work, and now they get to reap the rewards 
hopefully we can start making some real progress on understanding climate change 
. I mean, who doesn't love space tech?