The device is set to be launched next Wednesday, December 4, to monitor the Earth continuously, focusing on the effects of climate change, pollution, and earthquakes, to support precision agriculture, forest management, and maritime traffic control.
The Sentinel-1C satellite ready for launch | Photo: ESA
The launch of the Sentinel-1C satellite, part of the Copernicus program, is scheduled to take place at 10:20 p.m. on Wednesday, December 4, from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana. The mission ensures the continuation of environmental monitoring operations carried out by the Sentinel satellite constellation, developed in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission.
The Sentinel-1C was designed to replace the Sentinel-1B, which is no longer operational. With a radar observation system, the new satellite will be able to monitor the Earth's surface continuously, regardless of weather conditions or light levels.
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According to Pier Bargellini, head of ESA's Copernicus program, the satellite “will be able to observe the planet's surface day and night, in all weather conditions.” The device is the result of an international collaboration, including the participation of the Italian aerospace industry, such as Thales Alenia Space and Leonardo, which use the Prima platform developed by the Italian Space Agency.
The data generated by Sentinel-1C will be available for free, benefiting various areas, such as natural disaster management, pollution monitoring, precision agriculture, and maritime activity control. Recently, images provided by other Copernicus satellites were used to assess the impacts of flooding in Romagna, Italy, and Valencia, Spain, helping to define emergency response actions.
The Vega-C rocket will be responsible for placing the satellite into orbit. This will be the first launch of the model after a two-year hiatus due to a failure in 2022. Since then, the rocket has undergone rigorous technical evaluations to ensure the safety and reliability of the mission.
According to the authorities involved in the project, the mission's launch is of great importance for scientific progress, the industrial sector, and strengthening Earth observation, but the success of the launch will still depend on favorable weather conditions on the scheduled day.
Giulio Ranzo, CEO of Avio, the company responsible for much of the launcher's construction at its unit in Colleferro, Rome, stated that “although all launches are important, this one is especially significant,” as “it will be able to observe the planet's surface day and night, in all weather conditions,” explained Pier Bargellini, head of ESA's Copernicus program.