SpaceX to Launch Sentinel-6B Ocean‑Mapping Satellite for Europe and NASA on Nov. 17
SpaceX will lift off the Sentinel‑6B satellite from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California early Monday, Nov. 17, with a live stream available to the public.
Sentinel‑6B is the second spacecraft in the Sentinel‑6 series, a joint effort between the European Union’s Copernicus programme, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA. The satellite carries a radar altimeter and a suite of radiometers designed to measure sea‑surface height, wind speed and atmospheric water vapour with unprecedented accuracy. The data will feed climate‑change models, improve weather forecasting and support navigation.
The launch will use a Falcon 9 rocket in its reusable configuration, the same vehicle that has carried numerous commercial and government payloads. After a brief coast phase, the first stage is expected to land on a drone ship in the Pacific, allowing it to be refurbished for future missions. The launch window opens at 02:30 UTC, aligning with the orbital requirements for the satellite’s sun‑synchronous trajectory.
The mission continues a multi‑year program that began with Sentinel‑6A in 2020, which has already provided more than 30 years of continuous sea‑level records when combined with its predecessors. By extending this record, scientists hope to refine estimates of global sea‑level rise and assess the impact of melting polar ice. The partnership underscores the growing coordination between Europe and the United States on Earth‑observation initiatives.
Officials from the European Space Agency and NASA described the launch as a critical step toward maintaining an uninterrupted climate data stream. Industry analysts noted that the reuse of Falcon 9 boosters helps keep costs lower for scientific missions. The satellite is slated to begin routine operations by early 2024, after a series of in‑orbit tests, and will transmit data to ground stations in both continents for at least five years.
