Sentinel-2B

Sentinel-2B is a European optical imaging satellite that was launched on 7 March 2017. It is the second Sentinel-2 satellite launched as part of the European Space Agency's Copernicus Programme, and its orbit will be phased 180° against Sentinel-2A. The satellite carries a wide swath high-resolution multispectral imager with 13 spectral bands. It will provide information for agriculture and forestry, among others allowing for prediction of crop yields.[4]

Sentinel-2B
Model of a Sentinel 2 satellite
Mission typeEarth observation
OperatorEuropean Space Agency (ESA)
COSPAR ID2017-013A
SATCAT no.42063
WebsiteSentinel-2 (ESA)
Mission duration7 years (planned)[1]
3 years, 10 months, 3 days (elapsed)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeSentinel-2
ManufacturerAirbus Defence and Space
Launch mass1,140 kilograms (2,510 lb)
Dry mass1,017 kilograms (2,242 lb)
Dimensions3.4 by 1.8 by 2.35 metres (11.2 ft × 5.9 ft × 7.7 ft)
Power1700 watts
Start of mission
Launch date7 March 2017, 01:49:24 UTC[2]
RocketVega (VV-09)
Launch siteKourou, SLV
ContractorArianespace
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit [3]
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Altitude780 km
Inclination98.56°
Period100.45 minutes
Transponders
BandS-band (TT&C support),
X-band and optical laser through European Data Relay System (EDRS) (data acquisition)
Bandwidth64 kbit/s upload (S-band]]),
128 kbit/s - 2 Mbit/s download
(S-band),
520 Mbit/s download
(X-band / Optical)
Instruments
Multi-Spectral Imager (MSI)
 

Mission history

A €105 million contract for the construction of the spacecraft was signed in March 2010 by ESA's Director of Earth Observation Programmes and the CEO of Astrium Satellites.[5] It was completed in June 2016,[6][7] and the satellite was transported to the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) for the test campaign.[8][9]

Launch

The spacecraft arrived at the Centre Spatial Guyanais on 6 January 2017 for pre-launch operations.[10]

Launch took place at the nominal time of 01:49:24 UTC on 7 March 2017 on board Vega flight VV09. The spacecraft was injected into its target orbit at 02:47:21 UTC.[2][11]

References
  1. "Sentinel-2: The Operational Compernicus Optical High Resolution Land Mission" (PDF). European Space Agency. 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  2. Clark, Stephen (7 March 2017). "Environmental sentinel launched from French Guiana". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  3. "Sentinel 2B - Orbit". Heavens-Above. 9 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  4. "Sentinel-2B Launch Preparations Off to a Flying Start". European Space Agency. 12 January 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  5. "Astrium to build ESA's second Sentinel-2 satellite for GMES". European Space Agency. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  6. "Airbus DS completes Sentinel-2B – Satellite News Digest". SupremeSAT. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  7. "Airbus Defence and Space completes second Copernicus "Eye"" (Press release). Airbus Defence and Space. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  8. Porter, G. (21 June 2016). "Sentinel-2B entering LSS". flickr.com. European Space Agency. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  9. "Sentinel-2B goes through environmental testing at ESTEC". Rhea Group. 29 July 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  10. Rider, Honora (12 January 2017). "Sentinel-2B unveiled". European Space Agency. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  11. "Launch Kit: VV09, Sentinel-2B" (PDF). Arianespace. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
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