NASA successfully launches Sentinel-6 satellite on SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to monitor global sea levels -- watch

NASA successfully launches Sentinel-6 satellite on SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to monitor global sea levels — watch

California: “The Earth is changing, and this satellite will help deepen our understanding of how,” mentioned Karen St Germain, director of National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Earth Science Division after a joint US-European satellite tv for pc, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, constructed to observe world sea ranges lifted off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Saturday (November 21, 2020).

The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich which is reportedly in regards to the dimension of a small pickup truck will prolong a virtually 30-year steady dataset on sea degree collected by an ongoing collaboration of US and European satellites whereas enhancing climate forecasts and offering detailed info on large-scale ocean currents to assist ship navigation close to coastlines.

Watch the launch: 
 

 

 

“The changing Earth processes are affecting sea level globally, but the impact on local communities varies widely. International collaboration is critical to both understanding these changes and informing coastal communities around the world,” mentioned Karen St Germain.

According to NASA, the spacecraft separated from the rocket’s second stage and unfolded its twin units of photo voltaic arrays after arriving in orbit. 

“Ground controllers efficiently acquired the satellite tv for pc’s sign, and preliminary telemetry reviews confirmed the spacecraft in good well being. Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich will now bear a sequence of exhaustive checks and calibrations earlier than it begins amassing science information in a number of months’ time, mentioned the US house company.

Notably, the spacecraft is called after Michael Freilich who handed away in August 2020 and was a former director of NASA’s Earth Science Division. Freilich was a number one determine in advancing ocean observations from house. 

NASA mentioned that the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich will proceed the sea-level file that started in 1992 with the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite tv for pc and continued with Jason-1 (2001), OSTM/Jason-2 (2008), and ultimately, Jason-3, which has been observing the oceans since 2016. 

“Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich will pass the baton to its twin, Sentinel-6B, in 2025, extending the current climate record at least another 10 years between the two satellites,” mentioned NASA.

“The data from this satellite, which is so critical for climate monitoring and weather forecasting, will be of unprecedented accuracy,” mentioned Alain Ratier, the Director-General of the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). 

Ratier added, “These information, which may solely be obtained by measurements from house, will deliver a variety of advantages to folks across the globe, from safer ocean journey to extra exact prediction of hurricane paths, from a better understanding of sea-level rise to extra correct seasonal climate forecasts, and a lot extra.

 

 

$(function() { return $("[data-sticky_column]").stick_in_parent({ parent: "[data-sticky_parent]" }); });

reset_scroll = function() { var scroller; scroller = $("body,html"); scroller.stop(true); if ($(window).scrollTop() !== 0) { scroller.animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, "fast"); } return scroller; };

window.scroll_it = function() { var max; max = $(document).height() - $(window).height(); return reset_scroll().animate({ scrollTop: max }, max * 3).delay(100).animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, max * 3); };

window.scroll_it_wobble = function() { var max, third; max = $(document).height() - $(window).height(); third = Math.floor(max / 3); return reset_scroll().animate({ scrollTop: third * 2 }, max * 3).delay(100).animate({ scrollTop: third }, max * 3).delay(100).animate({ scrollTop: max }, max * 3).delay(100).animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, max * 3); };

$(window).on("resize", (function(_this) { return function(e) { return $(document.body).trigger("sticky_kit:recalc"); }; })(this));

}).call(this);

} on_load_google_ad(); function sendAdserverRequest() { try { if (pbjs && pbjs.adserverRequestSent) return; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.pubads().refresh(); }); } catch (e) {

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.pubads().refresh(); }); } } setTimeout(function() { sendAdserverRequest(); }, 5000);

function on_load_fb_twitter_widgets(){ (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.9"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));

window.twttr = (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], t = window.twttr || {}; if (d.getElementById(id)) return t; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); t._e = []; t.ready = function(f) {

t._e.push(f); }; return t; }(document, "script", "twitter-wjs")); }

//setTimeout(function() { on_load_google_ad(); }, 5000); setTimeout(function() { on_load_fb_twitter_widgets(); }, 5000);

Source