Sentinel-2A Explained

Sentinel-2A
Mission Type:Earth observation
Operator:ESA
Cospar Id:2015-028A
Satcat:40697
Mission Duration:Planned: 7 years[1]
Elapsed:
Spacecraft Type:Sentinel-2
Manufacturer:Airbus Defence and Space
Dry Mass:1017kg (2,242lb)
Launch Mass:1140kg (2,510lb)
Dimensions:3.4x
Power:1700 watts
Launch Date: UTC[2]
Launch Rocket:Vega (VV05)
Launch Site:Kourou SLV
Launch Contractor:Arianespace
Orbit Reference:Geocentric
Orbit Regime:Low Earth
Orbit Semimajor:7167.1km (4,453.4miles)
Orbit Eccentricity:0.000127
Orbit Periapsis:788.06km (489.68miles)
Orbit Apoapsis:789.87km (490.8miles)
Orbit Inclination:98.5623°
Orbit Period:100.65 minutes
Orbit Epoch:9 March 2017, 21:05:23 UTC[3]
Apsis:gee
Instruments:Multi-Spectral Imager (MSI)
Trans Band:S band (TT&C support)
X band and optical laser through EDRS (data acquisition)
Trans Bandwidth:64 kbit/s upload (S band)
128 kbit/s - 2 Mbit/s down (S band)
520 Mbit/s down (X band/Optical)
Programme:Sentinel-2
Next Mission:Sentinel-2B

Sentinel-2A is a European optical imaging satellite launched in 2015. It is the first Sentinel-2 satellite launched as part of the European Space Agency's Copernicus Programme. The satellite carries a wide swath high-resolution multispectral imager with 13 spectral bands. Its observations support services such as forest monitoring, land cover change-detection, natural disaster management and water quality monitoring.[4]

On 7 March 2017 the Sentinel-2A was joined in orbit by its sister satellite, Sentinel-2B.

Mission history

Launch

Sentinel 2A was launched by the Vega VV05 rocket on 23 June 2015 at 01:52 UTC. The satellite separated from the upper stage 54 min 43 s after liftoff.[5]

Orbital operation

The satellite captured its first image 100 hours after launch, covering a 290km (180miles) wide swath from Sweden through Central Europe to Algeria.[6] [7] Commissioning occurred in October 2015.[7]

Between 20 and 23 January 2017 the spacecraft suffered a mission planning anomaly which resulted in loss of data from its instrument, the Multi-Spectral Imager.[8]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sentinel-2: The Operational Compernicus Optical High Resolution Land Mission . . 2013 . 23 June 2015.
  2. Web site: Second Copernicus environmental satellite safely in orbit . European Space Agency . 23 June 2015 . 24 June 2015.
  3. Web site: Sentinel 2A - Orbit . . 9 March 2017 . 9 March 2017.
  4. News: Sentinel-2A: Satellite blasts off to provide new, improved view of Earth . . Adam . Justice . 23 June 2015 . 24 June 2015.
  5. News: Vega successfully launches Sentinel-2A mission. Chris Bergin . June 22, 2015. nasaspaceflight.com. March 19, 2023.
  6. Web site: Sentinel-2 delivers first images . European Space Agency . 29 June 2015 . 1 February 2017.
  7. A short success story of Sentinel-2A . Meeting of the Earth Observation Programme Board. 22–23 September 2015. ESRIN, Frascati, Italy. . Bianca . Hoersch . 2015 . 1 February 2017.
  8. Web site: Loss of Sentinel-2A acquisitions between 20 and 23 January 2017 . European Space Agency . 23 January 2017 . 1 February 2017.