Sentinel-2B Explained

Sentinel-2B
Mission Type:Earth observation
Operator:European Space Agency (ESA)
Cospar Id:2017-013A
Satcat:42063
Mission Duration:7 years (planned)[1]
(elapsed)
Spacecraft Type:Sentinel-2
Manufacturer:Airbus Defence and Space
Dimensions:3.4x
Power:1700 watts
Launch Date:7 March 2017, 01:49:24 UTC[2]
Launch Rocket:Vega (VV-09)
Launch Site:Kourou, SLV
Launch Contractor:Arianespace
Orbit Reference:Geocentric orbit[3]
Orbit Regime:Low Earth orbit
Orbit Altitude:780 km
Orbit Inclination:98.56°
Orbit Period:100.45 minutes
Apsis:gee
Instruments:Multi-Spectral Imager (MSI)
Trans Band:S-band (TT&C support),
X-band and optical laser through European Data Relay System (EDRS) (data acquisition)
Trans Bandwidth:64 kbit/s upload (S-band),
128 kbit/s - 2 Mbit/s download
(S-band),
520 Mbit/s download
(X-band / Optical)
Programme:Sentinel-2
Previous Mission:Sentinel-2A
Next Mission:Sentinel-2C

Sentinel-2B is a European optical imaging satellite that was launched on 7 March 2017. It is the second Sentinel-2 satellite launched as part of the European Space Agency's Copernicus Programme, and with its orbit phased 180° against its sister satellite, Sentinel-2A. The satellite carries a wide swath high-resolution multispectral imager with 13 spectral bands. It provides information for agriculture and forestry, among other services, allowing for prediction of crop yields.[4]

Mission history

A €105 million contract for the construction of the spacecraft was signed in March 2010 by ESA's Director of Earth Observation Programmes and the CEO of Astrium Satellites.[5] It was completed in June 2016,[6] [7] and the satellite was transported to the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) for the test campaign.[8] [9]

Launch

The spacecraft arrived at the Centre Spatial Guyanais on 6 January 2017 for pre-launch operations.[10]

Launch took place at the nominal time of 01:49:24 UTC on 7 March 2017 on board Vega flight VV09. The spacecraft was injected into its target orbit at 02:47:21 UTC.[2] [11]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sentinel-2: The Operational Compernicus Optical High Resolution Land Mission. European Space Agency. 2013. 23 June 2015.
  2. News: Environmental sentinel launched from French Guiana. Spaceflight Now. Stephen. Clark. 7 March 2017. 9 March 2017.
  3. Web site: Sentinel 2B - Orbit. Heavens-Above. 9 March 2017. 9 March 2017.
  4. Web site: Sentinel-2B Launch Preparations Off to a Flying Start . European Space Agency. 12 January 2017. 10 March 2017.
  5. Web site: Astrium to build ESA's second Sentinel-2 satellite for GMES . European Space Agency. 31 March 2010. 1 February 2017.
  6. News: Airbus DS completes Sentinel-2B – Satellite News Digest. SupremeSAT. 16 June 2016. 1 February 2017.
  7. Airbus Defence and Space completes second Copernicus "Eye". Airbus Defence and Space. 15 June 2016. 1 February 2017.
  8. Web site: Sentinel-2B entering LSS. flickr.com. European Space Agency. G.. Porter. 21 June 2016. 1 February 2017.
  9. Web site: Noordwijk Witnesses Successful Testing Of Sentinel-2B. Sat News. 17 November 2016. 11 March 2023.
  10. Web site: Sentinel-2B unveiled. European Space Agency. Honora. Rider. 12 January 2017. 1 February 2017.
  11. Web site: Launch Kit: VV09, Sentinel-2B. Arianespace. 27 February 2017. 9 March 2017. 12 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170312052328/http://www.arianespace.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/VV09-launchkit-EN.pdf. dead.