From floods to volcanoes: new eye on earth with Sentinel 1-D satellite
It is the satellite launched on board an Ariane 6 rocket and developed within the framework of the EU Space Programme and in close collaboration with the European Space Agency
One more 'eye' to monitor the Earth, with continuous images of the world day and night, in all weather conditions. And then constant monitoring capable of detecting oil spills, illegal maritime activities, floods, icebergs, landslides, volcanic and seismic activity, not forgetting forests and farmland. This is the activity that will be carried out thanks to the Sentinel 1-D satellite launched aboard an Ariane 6 rocket as part of the Copernicus Earth observation programme. Developed under the EU Space Programme and in close collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), Sentinel-1D will ensure "the continuity of Europe's radar imaging capabilities, replacing Sentinel-1A launched in 2014".
Data to monitor the environment
The data, as the ESA, the European space agency, puts it, 'will support environmental monitoring, maritime surveillance and emergency response'. Also playing an important role in this initiative is Italy with the companies participating in the programme. "The Sentinel-1 mission is the result of a close collaboration between Esa, the European Commission, industry, service providers and data users," the space agency stresses. Designed and built by a consortium of over 70 companies led by Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space, it is an outstanding example of European technological excellence'.
Director Cheli
This is an important initiative for the space agency, as underlined by Simonetta Cheli, director of Esa's Earth Observation Programmes, "as it completes the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission: soon Sentinel-1D will be commissioned and fully operational, together with Sentinel-1C". "The continuity of service that this provides to the EU space programme is crucial to address the global challenges ahead," she added. "Citizens will benefit from the contribution this mission makes to the scientific understanding of our environment, providing accurate, reliable and usable radar data on the movements of our ice caps, our forest ecosystems, soil movements and much more. The director also thanked the Esa team and European industry partners 'including Thales Alenia Space, Airbus Defence and Space'.
The Twin Satellites
Sentinel-1D will join its twin, Sentinel-1C. Once it enters service, it will replace Sentinel-1A, which has been in operation for more than 11 years, beyond its expected lifespan.
"The Sentinel-1D and Sentinel-1C satellites will operate in tandem, orbiting on opposite sides of the globe, 180° apart, to optimise global coverage and data transmission," argue Esa. Both satellites carry a C-band SAR instrument on board, along with an AIS (Automatic Identification System) instrument, so in addition to capturing high-resolution images of the earth's surface, the mission will also improve the detection and tracking of ships in maritime areas. When Sentinel-1D is fully operational, it will improve AIS observations, including more data on the identity of ships, their position and direction of travel, and precise tracking. Sentinel-1D and Sentinel-1C are both compatible with the Galileo navigation system and other global satellite navigation systems.
