Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Copernicus Sentinel-1C Earth observation satellite successfully launched

06/12/2024

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Sentinel-1C will supply vital radar imagery for understanding climate change and preserving our planet

Kourou, December 6, 2024 - The Copernicus Sentinel-1C Earth observation satellite, built by prime contractor Thales Alenia Space, the joint company between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), was successfully launched by a Vega C rocket operated by Arianespace from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Sentinel-1C ESA

Sentinel-1C is part of Copernicus, the Earth Observation component of the European Union's Space Programme. This programme is managed by the European Commission and funded by the EU with a partial contribution of the European Space Agency (ESA), the organisation responsible for the development and launches of dedicated Sentinel satellites. ESA also operates some of the missions and ensures the availability of data.

Sentinel-1C will join the Sentinel-1A satellite in orbit, providing images of the Earth's surface, day and night and in all weather conditions, for a broad array of science applications designed to protect our planet.

This crucial data will be used to monitor landslides, earthquake zones, volcanic activity and variations in polar ice cover. They will also provide valuable insights for monitoring deforestation, the use of water resources and supporting emergency responders and search and rescue teams in the event of natural disasters. In addition, Sentinel-1C is the first satellite of the Sentinel-1 mission to be equipped with an Automatic Identification System payload, enabling it to play a vital role in maritime safety by improving traffic management, avoiding collisions and monitoring ships in critical areas.

Sentinel-1C preparation for fit check Thales Alenia Space_ImaginE

The Sentinel-1 mission comprises two satellites in Sun-synchronous orbit operating in tandem to provide optimal global coverage with a 12-day repeat cycle. Their pre-tasking capability means that data can be acquired consistently over long periods, which is essential for analyzing environmental trends. This data is accessible to public authorities, companies and citizens around the world on a free, full and open basis.

As prime contractor for the Sentinel-1 mission on behalf of ESA, Thales Alenia Space is responsible for satellite design, development, integration and testing. Each Sentinel-1 satellite is built on the PRIMA spacecraft bus developed by Thales Alenia Space for the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and carries a C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instrument developed by Airbus Defence & Space. This SAR instrument enables precise mapping at resolutions up to 5 meters and coverage out to 400 kilometers.

I'm delighted with the successful launch of the Sentinel-1C satellite, which will supply vital radar imagery for a broad array of science applications to help preserve our planet, said Giampiero Di Paolo, Deputy CEO, Senior Vice President Observation, Exploration and Navigation at Thales Alenia Space. The teams at Thales Alenia Space, who are contributing to 11 of the 12 missions in the Copernicus programme, can be proud of this success, which marks a new phase in our collaboration with the European Commission and the European Space Agency.

With a launch mass of around 2.2 metric tons, Sentinel-1C will operate in low-Earth orbit at an altitude of 700 km and has a design life of 7.25 years. It will be joined in orbit by its twin Sentinel-1D, currently undergoing cleanroom tests at Thales Alenia Space's facility in Cannes. These latest Sentinel-1 satellites feature an innovative world first: a patented mechanism to separate the radar antenna from the spacecraft bus on re-entry into Earth's atmosphere at the end of their lifetime, thus helping mitigate orbital debris.

Leonardo contributed to the development of the Sentinel-1C and 1D satellites by supplying the attitude sensors (Autonomous Star Tracker) and the power units that feed the radar, ensuring continuous availability of images.

Data from the Sentinel-1C satellite will be collected by several European centers, including the ground station of the e-GEOS space center, a joint venture between Telespazio (80%) and the Italian space agency (20%), located in Matera, Italy.

About Copernicus

Copernicus is the Earth observation component of the European Union's Space Programme, looking at our planet and its environment to benefit all European citizens. It provides accurate, timely and easily accessible information to improve the management of the environment, understand and mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure civil security. The world's most advanced Earth Observation system, Copernicus provides continuous, free, and reliable Earth observation data and services to public authorities, companies and citizens around the globe.

Copernicus comprises several families of satellites and a series of monitoring networks (e.g. ground based weather stations, ocean buoys and air quality monitoring networks) to provide robust integrated information and to calibrate and validate the data from satellites.

The satellites are built by European prime contractors for ESA. A program of this scale enables Europe to better anticipate the consequences of global warming so that we can safeguard our planet.

The programme is managed by the European Commission and is co-funded by the European Union and ESA. The European Space Agency is responsible for the coordination, implementation and evolution of the programme, as well as the operations of some spacecrafts.

Thales Alenia Space, a key Copernicus partner

Thales Alenia Space is a major contributor to 11 of the Copernicus programme's 12 missions. Sentinel-1 monitors land and sea in all weather conditions, day and night, thanks to its radar capabilities. Sentinel-2 and -3 acquire high-resolution optical image
LINK: https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/worldwide/space/press_release/copernicu...
See more stories from thales

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

09/10/2026

Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026

September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026 New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...

28/09/2026

NHL Names Adobe as an Official Creative, Marketing and AI Partner

The NHL has announced Adobe as an Official Creative, Marketing and AI Partner beginning with the 2026-27 season. The partnership will provide the league and its...

28/09/2026

MultiDyne to Showcase Expanded Portfolio Including MRMC Robotics at CABSAT 2026

MultiDyne will exhibit at CABSAT 2026 (October 5-7, Dubai Exhibition Centre), showcasing an expanded technology portfolio following its June 2026 acquisition of...

28/09/2026

ARRI and HONOR Launch Co-Branded HONOR Magic9 Pro Max

ARRI and HONOR have announced the HONOR Magic9 Pro Max, a flagship smartphone carrying ARRI branding on the device and packaging as the first product-level expr...

28/09/2026

Net Insight Adds Nimbra 1020G to Pan-Asian Live Media Trial Network

Net Insight has added the Nimbra 1020G to its pan-Asian live media trial network, giving customers and partners in the region a way to evaluate ST 2110 and JPEG...

28/09/2026

Vindral Named Recipient of 2026 Technology and Engineering Emmy Award

Vindral has been named a recipient of a 2026 Technology and Engineering Emmy Award by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in the category of We...

28/09/2026

Interra Systems to Demonstrate QC and Monitoring Portfolio at CABSAT 2026

Interra Systems will exhibit at CABSAT 2026 (Stand B2-37, Dubai Exhibition Centre, October 5-7), demonstrating its BATON QC platform, ORION monitoring solutions...

28/09/2026

PGA TOUR's Michael Raimondo on Agentic Production, ShotLink Automation, and the Evolution of PGA TOUR Studios

Two years into its new production facility, the TOUR is expanding centralized wo...

28/09/2026

Game Creek Videos Epic Building Run Continues With ESPNs Countdown Unit, Upgrades to Four Others

In addition to rolling out a new mobile unit for ESPN's Monday Night Countd...

28/09/2026

Bleacher Report and WWE Reach Multi-Year Global Content Partnership

Bleacher Report and WWE have announced a multi-year content partnership giving Bleacher Report global highlight rights across WWE's programming slate, inclu...

28/09/2026

Behind The Mic: NBC Sports Shares MLB Wild Card Series Announcing Booth; ESPN Reveals NHL 26-27 Season Talent

Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...

28/09/2026

Fubo Adds Four NHL Regional Sports Networks for 2026-27 Season

FuboTV has announced a multi-year distribution agreement with the NHL to carry four regional sports networks covering the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jac...

28/09/2026

Program Productions Names Alan Ostfield President and CEO

Program Productions (PPI) has announced the appointment of Alan Ostfield as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective September 28, 2026. Ostfield succee...

28/09/2026

Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty! Encourages Us to Keep Dancing

Director Josef Kubota Wladyka attends the premiere of Ha-Chan, Shake Your Booty! with the film's cast and crew at Eccles Theatre on January 22, 2026, in P...

28/09/2026

Scaler Music introduce Scaler EQ Pro

EQ plug-in can now be played via MIDI Scaler Music have recently released a new and improved version of their patented musical EQ plug-in, kitting it out wi...

28/09/2026

The Asura from Animal Factory Amps

New synth developed in collaboration with philterSoup Boutique effects pedal and Eurorack manufacturer Animal Factory Amps have announced that the new compa...

28/09/2026

Rohde & Schwarz adds an integrated multi-channel pulse analysis option to its FSWX signal and spectrum analyzer

Rohde & Schwarz adds an integrated multi-channel pulse analysis option to its FS...

28/09/2026

SBE Announces 2026 Ennes Scholarship Recipients

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

28/09/2026

Spectrum to Demo AI Computing at the Network's Edge at SCTE TechExpo 26

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

28/09/2026

Autoscript launches new Voice Controller prompting soluti...

Autoscript, the leading global provider of professional teleprompting solutions, today announced Voice Controller for WinPlus-IP, a new voice-controlled prompti...

28/09/2026

IBC 2026 Technical Conference Highlights

IBC 2026 Technical Conference Highlights David Kirk September 28, 2026 0 Comments Hero image courtesy Deposit Photos David Kirk reports from the 11-1...

28/09/2026

First Baptist Nashville Taps Clear-Com for Production Coms

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

28/09/2026

IEEE Announces Award for Leadership in Developing HEVC/H.265

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

28/09/2026

Nakadi Introduces Live to Theater Service Powered by Pate...

Nakadi, a global streaming technology innovator dedicated to engineering a new era of digital media delivery, today announced its Live to Theater service based ...

28/09/2026

Sky launches Full Fibre 1.6 Gbps for millions of homes

Monday 28 September 2026 Sky launches Full Fibre 1.6 Gbps for millions of homes Sky has launched a new Full Fibre 1.6 Gbps product, rolling out from today, gi...

28/09/2026

Arvato Systems Highlights Its Role for Automakers and Suppliers

Arvato Systems Highlights It's Role for Automotive Manufacturers and Suppliers TISAX Arvato Systems has successfully completed the TISAX Level 3 assess...

28/09/2026

Crimecall returns for a brand-new series

Crimecall, presented by Carla O'Brien, returns tonight for a brand new series at 9.35pm on RT One and RT Player. In tonight's episode, alongside appe...

28/09/2026

RT SHORT STORY COMPETITION 2026 - SHORTLISTED STORIES ANNOUNCED

CELEBRATING 40 YEARS AT THE HEART OF NEW IRISH WRITING LIVE FROM POETRY IRELAND, DUBLIN AND ON RT RADIO 1 FROM 7PM DETAILS: www.rte.ie/writing | FOLLOW: #r...

27/09/2026

Boss launch the EX-4 Effects Expander

New compact pedal packs in 120 effects The latest multi-effects pedal from Boss is a compact unit that promises to give any pedalboard a massive boost in s...

26/09/2026

ESPN Operations, Production Teams Plan for Every Scenario as WNBA Playoffs Tip Off

With short turnaround between game selections, ESPN's operations team is pla...

26/09/2026

Prime Video Scales Up for First WNBA Postseason, Adding Cameras, Analysts, Coach Mics, and NBA Mobile Units

Prime Video will use GCV's Bird and Magic mobile units for its inaugural WNB...

26/09/2026

NBC Sports Tips Off First WNBA Postseason in 20+ Years Using Sunday Night Basketball as a Production Baseline

Studio show moves on-site as network models playoff coverage on its NBA flagship...

26/09/2026

Ratings Roundup: Cowboys-Commanders Leads NFL Week 2 With 27.2 Million, College GameDay Posts Best Week 3 Ever

Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...

26/09/2026

From Sketch to Strut, Unzipped Returns to the Sundance Film Festival at 30

Douglas Keeve attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival screening of Unzipped at the Egyptian Theatre. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Shutterstock for Sundance Film...

26/09/2026

Native Instruments update Maschine

Launched alongside three new expansion packs In celebration of their 30th anniversary, Native Instruments have released a major update for their Maschine 3 ...

26/09/2026

YouTube Embraces Microdramas with Features for Episodic Shorts

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

26/09/2026

Civil Rights Groups Urge Sen. Cruz to Delay Thumann Severs FCC Confirmation

Share Copy link Facebook X Linkedin Bluesky Email...

25/09/2026

SVG GameDay, Ep. 32: National Hockey Leagues John Bochiaro - Leading the Leagues In-Venue Efforts

In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...

25/09/2026

HBS Taps Ronald den Hollander as CEO

Infront has named Ronald den Hollander as CEO of its Host Broadcast Services (HBS) subsidiary, effective 1 October 2026. The appointment follows the previously ...

25/09/2026

NABA to Host Cyber University 2.0 Cybersecurity Summit in New York

The North American Broadcasters Association (NABA) will hold Cyber University 2.0, a full-day cybersecurity summit for the broadcast and media industries, on Tu...

25/09/2026

Alpha Networks and Ateme Deliver Low-Latency Video Platform for International Sporting Event

Alpha Networks and Ateme have delivered a joint video platform for the digital d...

25/09/2026

Viaplay Migrates Free-to-Air Channels to Encompass Altitude Scheduling

Encompass Digital Media has announced the migration of multiple Viaplay free-to-air channels - TV3, TV6, TV8, and TV10 - to its Altitude Scheduling platform. Al...

25/09/2026

NAB Show New York 2026 Set for October 21-22 at Javits Center

NAB Show New York 2026 will take place October 21-22 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. Registration is open at nabshow.com/newyork. Th...

25/09/2026

NHL Network to Air NHL Tonight, NHL Now, NHL Tonight: First Shift, and On The Fly During 2026-27 Season

NHL Network has announced its studio programming lineup for the 2026-27 regular ...

25/09/2026

First Baptist Nashville Installs Clear-Com Arcadia Central Station

Clear-Com has announced that First Baptist Nashville has upgraded its production communications with a Clear-Com intercom system as part of a sanctuary technolo...

25/09/2026

Broadcast Management Group Upgrades to EVS XT-VIA Platform at Cloud Control Center

Broadcast Management Group (BMG) has deployed EVS XT-VIA live video production s...

25/09/2026

BBright Adds dotCentral as U.S. Sales and Support Partner

BBright, a Hexaglobe Group company, has announced that dotCentral has joined as a sales and support partner in the United States. BBright's portfolio cover...

25/09/2026

MeyerPro Deploys ROE Visual Graphite GP 2.6 for Acumatica Summit 2026

MeyerPro delivered audio, video, broadcast, and LED production for the Acumatica Summit 2026 at the Seattle Convention Center's Summit Building, January 25-...