Sentinel-3A

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Sentinel-3A
Vector drawing of the Sentinel-3
Mission typeEarth observation
OperatorESA · EUMETSAT
COSPAR ID2016-011A
SATCAT no.41335
WebsiteSentinel-3 (ESA)
Mission durationPlanned: 7 years[1]
Elapsed: 10 years, 1 month, 30 days
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeSentinel-3
BusPrima
ManufacturerThales Alenia Space[2]
Launch mass1,250 kg (2,760 lb)[3]
Dry mass1,150 kg (2,540 lb)[4]
Dimensions3.9 × 2.2 × 2.2 m (12.8 × 7.2 × 7.2 ft)[3]
Power2,300 watts[3]
Start of mission
Launch date16 February 2016, 17:57 (2016-02-16UTC17:57) UTC[5]
RocketRokot/Briz-KM
Launch sitePlesetsk Cosmodrome, Site 133
ContractorEurockot Launch Services
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeSun-synchronous
Semi-major axis7,182.47 km (4,462.98 mi)
Eccentricity0.000309
Perigee altitude802.12 km (498.41 mi)
Apogee altitude806.56 km (501.17 mi)
Inclination98.62°
Period100.97 min
RAAN117.18°
Argument of perigee86.80°
Mean motion14.26 rev/day
Repeat interval27 days[6]
Epoch17 February 2016, 18:53:04 UTC[7]
Transponders
BandS band (TT&C support)
X band (science data)
BandwidthS band: 64 kbit/s uplink, 1 Mbit/s downlink
X band: 2 × 280 Mbit/s[1]

Sentinel-3A is a European Earth observation satellite dedicated to oceanography which launched on 16 February 2016.[5] It was built as a part of the Copernicus Programme, and is the first of four planned Sentinel-3 satellites. Its sister satellite, Sentinel-3B, launched on 25 April 2018. After completing initial commissioning, each satellite was handed over to EUMETSAT for the routine operations phase of the mission. Two recurrent satellites—Sentinel-3C and Sentinel-3D—will follow in approximately 2025 and 2028 respectively to ensure continuity of the Sentinel-3 mission.

Mission history

[edit | edit source]

In October 2015, the Sentinel-3A launch was planned for December 2015,[8] but delays in transportation from Cannes to the Plesetsk Cosmodrome postponed the launch to January 2016.[9] The spacecraft arrived at Talagi Airport aboard an Antonov An-124 on 28 November.[10][11] By 17 December, Sentinel-3A completed pre-launch testing and was placed into storage for the Christmas break, lasting until 11 January 2016.[12] After the break, launch was scheduled for 4 February,[13] but while the spacecraft was being fuelled for launch, Khrunichev Space Center in Moscow determined that the launch pad needed to be recertified, resulting in a further delay.[14] Launch was eventually rescheduled for 16 February.[15]

Launch

[edit | edit source]

Sentinel-3A was successfully launched on 16 February 2016 at 17:57 UTC from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome aboard a Rokot launch vehicle. The Briz-KM upper stage fired twice to insert the spacecraft into its intended 815 km (506 mi) orbit, first at 5 minutes and then at 75 minutes after launch. Spacecraft separation occurred at 79 minutes after launch, and ground controllers received the first communication from the vehicle at 92 minutes.[5][16]

Operations

[edit | edit source]

The first instrument switched on was OLCI. It made its first picture on 29 February 2016, capturing Svalbard island along with a part of the arctic ice pack near solar terminator.[17]

See also

[edit | edit source]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  2. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ^ a b c Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  7. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  8. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  9. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  10. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  11. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  12. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  13. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  14. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  15. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  16. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  17. ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
[edit | edit source]

Lua error in mw.title.lua at line 392: bad argument #2 to 'title.new' (unrecognized namespace name 'Portal').

Retrieved from "http://70.231.62.181/index.php?title=Sentinel-3A&oldid=304743"