Updated: November 22, 2020 2:33:22 pm
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite lifts off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on November 21 (Photo: Screengrab / Twitter / @ NASA)
The Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite, designed to monitor the oceans, was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on November 21.
This is part of the next mission dedicated to measuring changes in global sea level. Other satellites that have been launched since 1992 to track changes in the oceans on a global scale include the TOPEX / Poseidon, Jason-1 and OSTN / Jason-2, among others.
The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite is named after Dr. Michael Freilich, who was Director of NASA’s Earth Sciences Division between 2006 and 2019 and passed away in August this year.
What is the mission?
The mission, called the Jason Continuity of Service (Jason-CS) mission, is designed to measure the height of the ocean, which is a key component to understanding how Earth’s climate is changing. The spacecraft consists of two satellites, one of them launched on Saturday and the other, called Sentinel-6B, due to launch in 2025.
It has been jointly developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA, the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat), the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the EU, with contributions from the Center National Space of France. Studies (CNES). 📣 Express Explained is now on Telegram
What will the satellite do?
According to NASA, the satellite will ensure continuity of sea level observations in the fourth decade and provide measurements of global sea level rise.
Spaceship separation. “There goes Sentinel-6! That is a beautiful sight. “#SeeingThe Seas pic.twitter.com/iDhRzK2s0J
– NASA (@NASA) November 21, 2020
Since 1992, high-precision satellite altimeters have helped scientists understand how the ocean stores and distributes heat, water, and carbon in the climate system.
Essentially, the satellite will send pulses to the surface of the Earth and measure how long it takes for them to return to it, helping scientists measure the height of the sea surface. It will also measure the water vapor along this path and find your position using GPS and ground lasers.
Additionally, the data you collect will support operational oceanography by providing better forecasts of ocean currents, wind, and wave conditions. These data will allow improvements in both the short-term forecast for meteorological predictions in the range of two to four weeks (hurricane intensity predictions) and the long-term forecast, for example, for seasonal conditions such as El Niño and La Niña. .
Why is it important to measure the height of the ocean?
According to NASA, it is possible to observe the heights of the oceans on a global scale and monitor critical changes in ocean currents and heat storage only from space. Data from satellites like Sentinel-6 help scientists predict the effects of changing oceans on climate.
In addition, to measure and track changes in ocean heat balance, scientists need to know ocean currents and ocean heat storage, which can be determined from the height of the sea surface.
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