At ESA’s ESOC mission control centre, in Darmstadt, Germany, every launch is preceded by the pre-launch briefing – and the all-important team photos.

The next satellite to be flown from ESOC, Sentinel-2C, is scheduled for launch on the final Vega rocket from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, at 03:50 CEST on 4 September.

Sentinel-2C is the latest satellite in Europe's Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission. Sentinel-2 provides high-resolution optical imagery that covers all of Earth’s land and coastal waters every five days and which is used for a wide range of applications such as land, water and atmospheric monitoring.

Posing outside ESOC's Main Control Room, this is the team that will oversee Sentinel-2C’s crucial first hours in space and continue to fly the satellite for years to come as it gathers these valuable data.

Months of preparations and simulations at mission control culminated in last Thursday’s Sentinel-2C launch dress rehearsal. The dress rehearsal brought together the ESA teams with the mission’s institutional and industrial partners to complete a final, meticulous run through of the sequence of events that will take place on launch day.

Preparations, rehearsals, briefings and team photos complete, mission control is GO for launch.

Credits: ESA / J. Mai

Tags:   ESA European Space Agency Space Universe Cosmos Space Science Science Space Technology Tech Technology Sentinel-2C Observing the Earth Earth Observation Earth Explorer Satellite image Sentinel Copernicus mission control team Darmstadt Germany ESOC European Space Operations Centre

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The Vega rocket holding the Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite on the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport waiting for liftoff.

The Sentinel-2 mission is based on a constellation of two identical satellites, Sentinel-2A (launched in 2015) and Sentinel-2B (launched in 2017), flying in the same orbit but 180° apart to optimise coverage and revisit time. Once in orbit, Sentinel-2C will replace its predecessor, Sentinel-2A, while Sentinel-2D will later replace Sentinel-2B.

Sentinel-2C launches on Vega, Europe’s nimble rocket specialising in launching small scientific and Earth observation spacecraft such as to sun-synchronous polar orbits, following the Sun.

At 30 m tall, Vega weighs 137 tonnes on the launch pad and reaches orbit with three solid-propellant powered stages before the fourth liquid-propellant stage takes over for precise placement of Sentinel-2C into its orbit.

Credits: ESA–S. Corvaja

Tags:   Kourou Guyane ESA European Space Agency Space Universe Cosmos Space Science Science Space Technology Tech Technology French Guiana Rocket Launcher Vega Sentinel-2C Vega-C rocket launch Rocket launch Launch pad Guiana Space Center Europe’s Spaceport space launcher engineering Observing the Earth Earth Observation Earth Explorer Satellite image Sentinel Copernicus

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The third Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite, Sentinel-2C, has launched aboard the final Vega rocket, flight VV24, from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The rocket lifted off on 5 September at 03:50 CEST (4 September 22:50 local time).

Sentinel-2C will provide high-resolution data that is essential to Copernicus – the Earth observation component of the European Union’s Space programme. Developed, built and operated by ESA, the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission provides high-resolution optical imagery for a wide range of applications including land, water and atmospheric monitoring.

The mission is based on a constellation of two identical satellites flying in the same orbit but 180° apart: Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B. Together, they cover all of Earth’s land and coastal waters every five days. Once Sentinel-2C is operational, it will replace its predecessor, Sentinel-2A, following a brief period of tandem observations. Sentinel-2D will eventually take over from Sentinel-2B.

Sentinel-2C was the last liftoff for the Vega rocket. After 12 years of service, Vega is being retired to make way for the upgraded Vega-C rocket.

Credits: ESA–S. Corvaja

Tags:   ESA European Space Agency Space Universe Cosmos Space Science Science Space Technology Tech Technology Kourou Guyane French Guiana Rocket Launcher Vega Sentinel-2C Vega-C rocket launch Rocket launch Launch pad Guiana Space Center Europe’s Spaceport space launcher engineering Observing the Earth Earth Observation Earth Explorer Satellite image Sentinel Copernicus

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The third Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite, Sentinel-2C, has launched aboard the final Vega rocket, flight VV24, from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The rocket lifted off on 5 September at 03:50 CEST (4 September 22:50 local time).

Sentinel-2C will provide high-resolution data that is essential to Copernicus – the Earth observation component of the European Union’s Space programme. Developed, built and operated by ESA, the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission provides high-resolution optical imagery for a wide range of applications including land, water and atmospheric monitoring.

The mission is based on a constellation of two identical satellites flying in the same orbit but 180° apart: Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B. Together, they cover all of Earth’s land and coastal waters every five days. Once Sentinel-2C is operational, it will replace its predecessor, Sentinel-2A, following a brief period of tandem observations. Sentinel-2D will eventually take over from Sentinel-2B.

Sentinel-2C was the last liftoff for the Vega rocket. After 12 years of service, Vega is being retired to make way for the upgraded Vega-C rocket.

Credits: ESA–S. Corvaja

Tags:   ESA European Space Agency Space Universe Cosmos Space Science Science Space Technology Tech Technology Kourou Guyane French Guiana Rocket Launcher Vega Sentinel-2C Vega-C rocket launch Rocket launch Launch pad Guiana Space Center Europe’s Spaceport space launcher engineering Observing the Earth Earth Observation Earth Explorer Satellite image Sentinel Copernicus

© All Rights Reserved

The third Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite, Sentinel-2C, has launched aboard the final Vega rocket, flight VV24, from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The rocket lifted off on 5 September at 03:50 CEST (4 September 22:50 local time).

Sentinel-2C will provide high-resolution data that is essential to Copernicus – the Earth observation component of the European Union’s Space programme. Developed, built and operated by ESA, the Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission provides high-resolution optical imagery for a wide range of applications including land, water and atmospheric monitoring.

The mission is based on a constellation of two identical satellites flying in the same orbit but 180° apart: Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B. Together, they cover all of Earth’s land and coastal waters every five days. Once Sentinel-2C is operational, it will replace its predecessor, Sentinel-2A, following a brief period of tandem observations. Sentinel-2D will eventually take over from Sentinel-2B.

Sentinel-2C was the last liftoff for the Vega rocket. After 12 years of service, Vega is being retired to make way for the upgraded Vega-C rocket.

Credits: ESA–S. Corvaja

Tags:   ESA European Space Agency Space Universe Cosmos Space Science Science Space Technology Tech Technology Kourou Guyane French Guiana Rocket Launcher Vega Sentinel-2C Vega-C rocket launch Rocket launch Launch pad Guiana Space Center Europe’s Spaceport space launcher engineering Observing the Earth Earth Observation Earth Explorer Satellite image Sentinel Copernicus

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