Sentinel-2C sealed in the Vega rocket fairing

As preparations proceed to launch the Copernicus Sentinel-2C satellite on 4 September, the crew at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, has bid farewell to their valuable satellite because it was sealed from view throughout the Vega rocket fairing.

As soon as in orbit, Sentinel-2C will present high-resolution pictures for a variety of purposes together with land, water and atmospheric monitoring, as are presently offered by Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B.

Since its arrival on the spaceport in July, Sentinel-2C has been present process all that it takes to get it prepared for liftoff. This contains an enormous variety of cautious checks to make sure all its parts are in good working order, the hazardous job of loading the satellite with over 130 kg of risky gasoline and mating the satellite the Vega to the launch adapter.

And now, the groups have encapsulated the satellite throughout the rocket fairing. Other than being a major milestone on the highway to liftoff, it’s also considerably emotional because the satellite itself will not be seen once more.

ESA’s Sentinel-2C launch marketing campaign supervisor, Patricia Lopez, mentioned, “The marketing campaign to prepared Sentinel-2C for launch has gone extraordinarily properly and that is because of the arduous work from all of the groups concerned. Certainly, encapsulation is a vital milestone and whereas we’re extraordinarily blissful to have reached this level, it was additionally time for us to say farewell.

“For a really quick time earlier than the fairing closure, the fortunate ones who have been right here may see the satellite as by no means earlier than, all dressed-up in its flight configuration and searching like a valuable jewel that we’ll now hold safely packed till launch.”

“Clearly, the actual good-byes will are available lower than two weeks now—liftoff is scheduled for 3 September at 22:50 native time right here in Kourou, which is 4 September 03:50 CEST—which we’re all very a lot trying ahead to.”

As its identify suggests, Sentinel-2C is the third within the Sentinel-2 sequence. As soon as commissioned in orbit, it’s going to exchange its predecessor, Sentinel-2A, which was launched in 2015. Later, Sentinel-2D will exchange Sentinel-2B.

This all ensures the continuity of images for Copernicus Providers and past.

The mission offers high-resolution optical imagery for a variety of purposes together with land, water and atmospheric monitoring. The mission relies on a constellation of two an identical satellites flying in the identical orbit however 180° aside.

The satellites every carry a high-resolution multispectral imager that generates optical pictures within the seen, near-infrared and shortwave-infrared a part of the electromagnetic spectrum. From their altitude of 786 km, they supply steady imagery in 13 spectral bands with resolutions of 10 m, 20 m and 60 m, with a big swath width of 290 km.

Sentinel-2C can be taken into orbit on a Vega rocket—in truth the final rocket of its sort. Vega can be outmoded by the brand new Vega-C.