Sentinel-6 joins Falcon 9 to assess the impact of climate change
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch into space on November 10 to put the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite into orbit.
The name of the joint mission of ESA, NASA, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and EUMETSAT is a tribute to Michael Freilich, former director of the US space agency’s Department of Earth Sciences.
The purpose of the satellite, which will be located 1,336 kilometers from Earth, is to monitor how the accelerated rise in sea level is changing the coastline and putting at risk a third of the world’s population.
EUMETSAT will be responsible for operating Sentinel-6, receiving the 300 GB of data that will be sent daily. The satellite will update the ocean maps every 10 days and is equipped with altimeters that allow the analysis of changes in water levels over time and space.
The mission will also collect data about the temperature and humidity level of the atmosphere, helping to improve weather forecasts and climate models.
