NASA Launches Sentinel-6B Satellite to Monitor Ocean Levels

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, California — NASA‘s Sentinel-6B satellite lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 4 East at 9:21 p.m. PST on November 16. This new satellite will provide vital ocean and atmospheric data vital for hurricane forecasts and safety.

About the size of a full-size pickup truck, Sentinel-6B aims to improve predictions based on sea level measurements from low Earth orbit. Contact with a ground station in northern Canada occurred 90 minutes post-launch, confirming all systems function normally.

Nicky Fox, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, highlighted the satellite’s importance: “Understanding tidal patterns down to the inch is critical in protecting how we use our oceans every day on Earth.” Fox emphasized that Sentinel-6B builds upon its predecessor, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, and will aid in flood predictions essential for coastal infrastructure.

The mission is a partnership among various organizations, including NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), EUMETSAT, and NOAA. Simonetta Cheli, director of ESA’s Earth Observation Programmes, noted, “Collaboration between partners is key to a mission such as Sentinel-6.”

Sentinel-6B will gather information on wind speeds, wave heights, and atmospheric conditions while focusing on interactions between ocean currents and their surrounding environments. This data is crucial for forecasting marine weather events, including hurricanes.

Once in operation, Sentinel-6B will orbit Earth roughly 13 times daily at an altitude of about 830 miles (1,336 kilometers). Dave Gallagher, director at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, remarked, “Sentinel-6B demonstrates the versatile Earth science applications made possible by expertly engineered, space-based technology.”

This satellite is also part of the European Union’s Copernicus program. During its first year, it will work alongside Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich to enhance measurement accuracy.

The satellite, weighing 3,175 pounds (1,440 kilograms), underwent a series of checkouts after successfully deploying at an altitude of 1,322 kilometers (821 miles). This launch reinforces the significant collaborative efforts in space exploration aimed at monitoring Earth’s climate.