The Copernicus satellite will deliver high-resolution radar imagery to monitor Earth’s changing environment, in order to address global challenges such as climate change and disaster response.

The Copernicus Sentinel-1C satellite was launched yesterday (5 December) on a Vega-C rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, combining “two great European achievements”, according to Josef Aschbacher, director general of the European Space Agency (ESA).

Sentinel-1C expands upon the legacy of its predecessors, Sentinel 1A and Sentinel 1B, by delivering high-resolution radar imagery to monitor Earth’s changing environment and supporting a diverse range of applications, as well as helping to advance scientific research.

In addition, Sentinel-1C introduces new capabilities for detecting and monitoring maritime traffic.

The satellite was launched into orbit and lifted off aboard Vega-C at 10.20pm Central European Time (CET), or 6.20pm in local time.

The Vega-C rocket reached space in eight minutes and dropped off Sentinel-1C at approximately 12.04am CET. About 10 minutes later, the ESA established communication with the satellite confirming that it was safely in orbit.

The launcher’s mission, called VV25, is a return-to-flight for Vega-C, which is Europe’s lightweight, high-performance rocket. The ESA explained that this marked the restart of routine commercial operations for the new launcher.

‘It all starts with a launch’

“It was exciting and touching to see the mix of the European launcher and Copernicus community and teams rooting each other on in true Team Europe form,” Aschbacher said.

“With the insertion of Sentinel-1C into orbit, ESA continues a legacy of steadfast Sentinels protecting the Earth and exemplifies why Europe needs secured flights: because what we send to space provides benefits to Earth, and it all starts with a launch.”

Simonetta Cheli, the ESA’s director of Earth observation programmes, described the launch of Sentinel-1C as “an example of the enduring partnership between ESA and the European Commission”.

“The mission plays a crucial role in addressing global challenges like climate change and disaster response, while ensuring the continuity of vital radar data for monitoring Earth’s land, oceans and ice,” Cheli added.

Sentinel-1A was the first satellite in the series, launched in April 2014, followed by the launch of Sentinel-1B in 2016.

The Sentinel-1B mission came to an end in August 2022 after experiencing a technical fault that rendered it unable to acquire data. The satellite has been successfully de-orbited and will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere within 25 years.

Sentinel-1C, along with Sentinel-1A, will return the mission to its full potential as a two-satellite constellation. Sentinel-1A is due to be replaced by Sentinel-1D later next year.

In September, the Sentinel-2C was launched, bringing the number of Sentinel satellites sent into orbit since the programme launched in 1998 to nine.

The Sentinel satellites provide vital data for the EU’s Climate Change Service, Copernicus.

Copernicus provides comprehensive Earth observation data to monitor and analyse the planet’s environment.

From providing insights into the arctic landscape to monitoring wildfires and floods, the accurate imagery and topographical data gathered by the Sentinel satellites enable governments and researchers to make informed decisions that enhance our safety and understanding of Earth’s environment. It is free to access, and as of 2022, the Sentinel data is used by over 638,000 users.

Last month, data from Copernicus showed that 2024 is on track to becoming the hottest year on record.

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