Launched last November, the Copernicus Sentinel 1D satellite completed a critical on-orbit commissioning phase and marked a milestone in Europe’s flagship radar mission.
Sentinel 1A, the first generation satellite of the Copernicus program, was launched in 2014. The Sentinel 1 mission was intended to provide consistent, high-quality Earth observation data to the Copernicus Service to aid in the analysis of weather phenomena, natural disasters, and climate change.
The program consists of two identical satellites orbiting the Earth 180 degrees apart to optimize coverage. Sentinel-1B was launched in 2016 to pair with Sentinel-1A, but its mission ended prematurely in 2022 due to a technical anomaly.
Sentinel-1C was launched in 2024 to fill the constellation, and Sentinel-1D was launched in late 2025 as an additional satellite.
Radar covers the ground day and night
This mission will provide critical data to scientists, emergency responders, and policy makers through high-resolution synthetic aperture radar imagery.
Once completed, the satellite will provide 20 years of continuous observations in all weather conditions, day and night, providing an unparalleled retrospective in an era of rapid climate change and environmental change.
Space debris reduction
Sentinel-1C and Sentinel-1D also carry new separation mechanisms to help avoid space debris, underscoring the European Space Agency and the European Commission’s commitment to clean space principles.
The European Space Agency estimates that there are more than 15,800 tonnes of material in Earth’s orbit, of which well over 140 million are considered space junk.
Most of this debris is between 1 millimeter and 1 centimeter in size, but because it orbits the Earth at about seven times the speed of a bullet, it can cause significant damage to satellites and spacecraft.
Sentinel-1 satellite will last at least 7 years
Nuno Miranda, ESA’s Sentinel-1 mission manager, said: “Sentinel-1 began as a pioneer. With the successful commissioning of Sentinel-1D, it now stands as a cornerstone, reflecting Europe’s achievements and serving as a springboard for what comes next.”
“For several years, we have been promoting a follow-on mission, Sentinel-1 Next Generation, which is designed to continue making measurements into the mid-2030s and beyond.
“These future satellites are expected to provide enhanced performance and new capabilities, building on the legacy of their predecessors and addressing new scientific and societal needs.”
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