NASA and its European partners are set to launch the Sentinel-6B Earth satellite, which will track sea levels across more than 90% of the world's oceans. The mission is a vital component of NASA's efforts to monitor sea level rise and support public safety, city planning, and defense interests.
The launch, which is targeted for November 17 at 12:21 a.m. EST, will take place from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The satellite, measuring 19.1 feet long and 7.74 feet high, weighs around 2,600 pounds when loaded with propellant.
Once the rocket lifts off, the main engine cuts off, followed by the separation of the first and second stages. The reusable first stage then begins its automated boost-back burn to the launch site for a powered landing. About three minutes after liftoff, the payload fairing separates and falls safely back to Earth.
The satellite will orbit the Earth every 112 minutes at 4.5 miles per second, eventually taking over from its twin, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, which was launched five years ago. The mission aims to gather data on sea level measurements, atmospheric conditions, and other oceanic phenomena to support a wide range of applications.
Scientists will use the satellite's data to build an accurate picture of local and global sea surface heights, supporting storm forecasting, secure coastal infrastructure, and commercial activities such as shipping. Researchers also plan to use Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich's measurements for different purposes, including mapping seafloor features.
The launch marks the first international involvement in Copernicus, the European Union's Earth Observation Programme, and represents a significant collaboration between NASA, ESA, EUMETSAT, NOAA, and other organizations.
The launch, which is targeted for November 17 at 12:21 a.m. EST, will take place from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The satellite, measuring 19.1 feet long and 7.74 feet high, weighs around 2,600 pounds when loaded with propellant.
Once the rocket lifts off, the main engine cuts off, followed by the separation of the first and second stages. The reusable first stage then begins its automated boost-back burn to the launch site for a powered landing. About three minutes after liftoff, the payload fairing separates and falls safely back to Earth.
The satellite will orbit the Earth every 112 minutes at 4.5 miles per second, eventually taking over from its twin, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, which was launched five years ago. The mission aims to gather data on sea level measurements, atmospheric conditions, and other oceanic phenomena to support a wide range of applications.
Scientists will use the satellite's data to build an accurate picture of local and global sea surface heights, supporting storm forecasting, secure coastal infrastructure, and commercial activities such as shipping. Researchers also plan to use Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich's measurements for different purposes, including mapping seafloor features.
The launch marks the first international involvement in Copernicus, the European Union's Earth Observation Programme, and represents a significant collaboration between NASA, ESA, EUMETSAT, NOAA, and other organizations.
! Can you believe NASA is launching Sentinel-6B on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket?! That's like, the ultimate combo of awesomeness right there 
It's gonna track sea levels across 90% of the world's oceans? Mind. Blown. I'm so down for this mission 
Not only will it help us monitor sea level rise and support public safety, city planning, and defense interests, but also help us build an accurate picture of local and global sea surface heights 
I'm loving how it marks the first international involvement in Copernicus, the European Union's Earth Observation Programme 
But hey, I'll just have to wait patiently and keep an eye on my NASA notifications 
Bring it on, Sentinel-6B! 
and it sounds soooo good!! anyway back to space stuff... this satellite thingy is like super cool i guess? I mean its gonna help us figure out what's going on with sea levels and all that jazz 
but isn't it kinda weird that we need a satellite for that? can't we just, like, measure it from the ground or something? 
and why does it take 3 min to separate the stages after launch? is that even possible? 
] 
[rocket ship blasting off, making a "vroom" sound] 90% of the world's oceans monitored? That's one big space mission! 
. Satellite tech is wild, tracking rising oceans & all that jazz 
. Hope they can keep it real on this data gathering mission 
. NASA's got some serious skills with their space stuff 
. Also, I'm stoked to see the international collaboration going on here 
. It's gonna be crazy to see what kind of insights we can gather from this satellite 
!
On the flip side, I guess having more satellites up in space can only be a good thing for science and stuff... but is it really worth the $$$ that goes into these missions? 
And what about all the other space junk floating around out there? Is this just gonna make things worse or... 
I just hope they can collect enough data to help us make more accurate predictions about storms and coastal flooding. We need all the help we can get, especially with hurricane season coming up 
. Fingers crossed for a safe launch and a successful mission! 
. It's great to see international collaboration like this between NASA, ESA, EUMETSAT, and others – it shows that we can work together towards a common goal 
.
. Fingers crossed for a sustainable future! 
. The fact that Sentinel-6B is tracking 90% of the oceans is a huge deal! 
. Can't wait to see what kind of data this satellite sends back! 
! Its gonna be huge for monitoring sea levels & stuff. I mean think about it, we're literally tracking 90% of the world's oceans here 
. Not gonna lie, I'm hyped to see what data they gather from this mission. Its all about supporting city planning & defense interests too, so fingers crossed it helps keep our coastal cities safe 
. Launch is in Nov 17, so mark that on your calendars!
I'm excited to see NASA's Sentinel-6B Earth satellite taking off! Tracking sea levels is super important for us, especially with climate change happening and all 
and support storm forecasting, coastal infrastructure, and shipping industries 
i'm loving the collab between nasa, esa, eumetsat, noaa and all the other orgs 
- could be a major game-changer for people living in coastal areas 
. Here's a quick diagram of what I have so far: