Sentinel-1D Fueled and Ready for Encapsulation
Mission Is Progressing on Schedule for Launch on November 4
The next Sentinel satellite is getting set to join the Sentinel mission. Sentinel-1D is set to join its sibling, Sentinel-1C delivering radar images of Earth’s surface, performing in all weather conditions day-and-night. This service is vital for disaster response teams, environmental agencies, maritime authorities, climate scientists – and other users who depend on frequent updates of critical data.
“The satellite is now fueled and in good health, perfectly on-time for mating onto the launcher.”
Thibaut Decoopman, ESA
When fully commissioned, the new satellite will replace Sentinel-1A, which has been in orbit for 11 years, well beyond its planned lifetime.
Sentinel-1C and -1D will generate data and imaging using a C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instrument, which captures high-resolution imagery of Earth’s surface. They are also equipped with an Automatic Identification System (AIS) instrument to improve detection and tracking of ships. When both are operational, more frequent AIS observations will be possible. The spacecraft Flight Readiness Review took place earlier this month, paving the way for fuelling of Sentinel-1D.
The mission’s Project Manager, Thibaut Decoopman, explained that the team is now finalizing the satellite configuration for launch, prior to preparing the spacecraft for encapsulation. “Since it arrived in French Guyana, Sentinel-1D has successfully completed the last integration steps and undergone the functional tests,” Decoopman said. “The satellite is now fueled and in good health, perfectly on-time for mating onto the launcher, thanks to the continuous dedication of our industry colleagues and ESA team members.”
The satellite is slated to be encapsulated on today.
The mission is part of the Copernicus family of Sentinel satellites, developed by the European Space Agency (ESA). Copernicus is the Earth observation component of the European Union’s Space Program and is the largest environmental monitoring programme in the world.
The data provided by the Sentinel missions form the basis of the operational Copernicus information services, helping to manage the environment, monitor and react to climate change and safeguard lives. Copernicus provides open-access data used worldwide.