Sentinel-1
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| Sentinel-1 | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sentinel-1 |
| Mission type | Earth observation |
| Operator | European Space Agency |
| Spacecraft bus | PRIMA |
| Launch mass | ~2,300 kg |
| Launch date | 3 April 2014 (Sentinel-1A), 25 April 2016 (Sentinel-1B) |
| Launch vehicle | Soyuz-2.1a |
| Launch site | Guiana Space Centre |
| Orbit regime | Sun-synchronous orbit |
| Orbit reference | Geocentric orbit |
| Orbit period | ~96 minutes |
Sentinel-1 is a two-satellite radar imaging constellation developed by the European Space Agency as a core component of the Copernicus Programme. It provides all-weather, day-and-night imagery primarily for maritime surveillance, land monitoring, and emergency management. The mission represents a significant advancement in synthetic-aperture radar technology for operational environmental services, succeeding earlier missions like ERS-1 and Envisat.
Overview
The constellation was conceived to ensure the continuity of C-band radar data following the end of the Envisat mission. Funded by the European Union and operated by the European Space Agency, it delivers systematic global coverage with a rapid revisit time. Data is freely and openly accessible to users worldwide, supporting a vast range of services from ice charting for the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites to disaster response coordination with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs.
Mission and objectives
The primary mission is to provide robust, continuous radar data for operational services under the Copernicus Programme. Key objectives include monitoring sea ice extent in the Arctic Ocean, detecting oil spills for agencies like the European Maritime Safety Agency, and mapping land-surface deformation from events like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It also supports agricultural monitoring for the Common Agricultural Policy and surveillance of ship traffic in strategic areas such as the Mediterranean Sea.
Satellite design and instruments
Each satellite is based on the PRIMA platform, with a large deployable solar array and a 12-meter-long synthetic-aperture radar antenna. The sole instrument is a C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar, which operates at a central frequency of 5.405 GHz. This design enables several imaging modes, including a wide-swath Interferometric Wide Swath mode essential for ground motion studies over areas like the San Andreas Fault or Mount Etna.
Data products and applications
The mission generates standardized data products including Level-1 Single Look Complex and Ground Range Detected imagery. These products are critical for applications such as wetlands monitoring in the Pantanal, forestry management in the Black Forest, and subsidence measurement in urban centers like Venice and Jakarta. Data also feeds into services for humanitarian aid organizations following disasters like Typhoon Haiyan or the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake.
Launch and constellation status
The first satellite, Sentinel-1A, was launched on a Soyuz-2.1a rocket from the Guiana Space Centre on 3 April 2014. Its twin, Sentinel-1B, followed from the same Spaceport on 25 April 2016, completing the initial constellation. While Sentinel-1B ended service in 2022 after an anomaly, Sentinel-1A remains operational. Planned follow-on satellites, Sentinel-1C and Sentinel-1D, are intended to ensure data continuity through the 2030s.
Category:Earth observation satellites Category:European Space Agency satellites Category:Copernicus Programme