End of mission for the Copernicus Sentinel-1B satellite

ESA’s Director of Earth Commentary Applications Simonetta Cheli mentioned: “Sadly, we now have to announce the top of the Copernicus Sentinel-1B satellite tv for pc mission. The conclusion reached by the Anomaly Assessment Board is that it’s inconceivable to salvage the 28V regulated bus from the satellite tv for pc’s C-band artificial aperture radar antenna energy provide, which is required to energy the radar electronics.

“Sentinel-1A stays in excellent well being in orbit, persevering with to supply prime quality radar imagery for a large number of functions. Our purpose is to speed up the launch of Sentinel-1C. Now, because of the profitable maiden flight of the Vega-C rocket on July 13, we’re aiming with Arianespace for launch within the second quarter of 2023.”

The European Fee’s Appearing Director for Area (Directorate Basic for Protection Trade and Area), Paraskevi Papantoniou, mentioned: “The everlasting unavailability of the Sentinel-1B satellite tv for pc represents a big loss for the European Union’s area program and the European Fee is dedicated to mitigating its impression. . Particularly, we succeeded in bringing ahead the launch of the Sentinel-1C satellite tv for pc.

“Within the meantime, knowledge from contributing Copernicus missions, together with that of European New Area firms, will proceed for use to help probably the most essential Copernicus Providers merchandise which can be affected. The preparations for the de-orbiting of the Sentinel-1B satellite tv for pc are an instance of our joint dedication, for the European Union and ESA, to a clear and accountable area, utilizing the surveillance and monitoring capabilities of the EU space.

In April 2014, Sentinel-1A was the primary satellite tv for pc launched for Copernicus, the Earth statement part of the European Union’s area program. Whereas the European Union is in command of Copernicus, the ESA develops, builds and launches the devoted Sentinel satellites. It additionally operates a number of the missions.

After the launch of Sentinel-1B in April 2016, with the mission consisting of two an identical satellites in 180° orbit, the mission was capable of picture the planet with a most repetition price of six days, as much as every day protection at excessive latitudes.

That includes superior radar know-how to supply an all-weather, day and night time supply of Earth’s floor imagery, the formidable Sentinel-1 mission has raised the bar for space-based radar.

The mission advantages from many Copernicus companies and functions, reminiscent of these associated to Arctic sea ice monitoring, iceberg monitoring, routine sea ice mapping, glacier velocity monitoring, monitoring of the marine atmosphere, together with oil spill monitoring and ship detection for maritime functions. safety in addition to the monitoring of unlawful fishing. It is usually used for monitoring floor deformation ensuing from subsidence, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, mapping for forest, water and soil administration, and mapping to help humanitarian reduction. and disaster conditions.

With such an vital function to play and customers counting on well timed knowledge, ESA acted as quickly because it was clear that the Sentinel-1B energy subject might take a number of weeks to resolve, which was the hope on the finish of December.

ESA Sentinel-1 mission supervisor Pierre Potin mentioned: “Along with the European Fee, we’re working to fill a number of the knowledge gaps by adjusting the Sentinel-1A statement plan and radar knowledge from different satellite tv for pc missions contributing to Copernicus. program. For instance, we’re in a position to make use of knowledge from the Canadian Radarsat-2 and Radarsat Constellation mission, the German TerraSAR-X, the Italian COSMO-SkyMed and the Spanish PAZ to help operational surveillance of sea ​​ice for the Copernicus marine atmosphere monitoring service.

“As we proceed to attempt to reduce consumer inconvenience and get Sentinel-1C into orbit as quickly as attainable, we’re additionally making ready for the accountable disposal of Sentinel-1B.”

Sentinel-1 spacecraft operations supervisor Alistair O’Connell added: “Now we have Sentinel-1B below management, all different techniques besides the facility affected unit, which forestall radar activation, proceed to function nominally, and we’re performing common spacecraft well being monitoring and routine orbit management maneuvers. We’ll preserve Sentinel-1B below management till that we are able to start the elimination course of, which we are going to start as soon as Sentinel-1C is safely in orbit.

“The deorbiting of Sentinel-1B will likely be carried out in accordance with the area particles mitigation necessities that have been in place for ESA initiatives on the time of the design of Sentinel-1A and Sentinel-1B, which implies that re-entry into the ambiance will happen in 25 years.. In observe, the period of the re-entry must be a lot shorter.

Copernicus Sentinel-1C presents a world first new separation mechanism that can assist keep away from area particles.

A abstract of the outline of the anomaly, investigations and restoration makes an attempt, in addition to parallel Sentinel-1 mission-level actions and the way in which ahead could be discovered on the Sentinel On-line web site.