Sentinel-2A

Sentinel-2A is a European optical imaging satellite launched in 2015. It is the first Sentinel-2 satellite launched as part of the European Space Agency's Copernicus Programme. The satellite carries a wide swath high-resolution multispectral imager with 13 spectral bands. It will perform terrestrial observations in support of services such as forest monitoring, land cover changes detection, and natural disaster management.[4]

Sentinel-2A
Model of a Sentinel 2 satellite
Mission typeEarth observation
OperatorESA
COSPAR ID2015-028A
SATCAT no.40697
WebsiteSentinel-2 (ESA)
Mission durationPlanned: 7 years[1]
Elapsed: 4 years, 11 months, 1 day
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeSentinel-2
ManufacturerAirbus Defence and Space
Launch mass1,140 kg (2,510 lb)
Dry mass1,017 kg (2,242 lb)
Dimensions3.4 m × 1.8 m × 2.35 m (11.2 ft × 5.9 ft × 7.7 ft)
Power1700 watts
Start of mission
Launch date23 June 2015, 01:51:58 (2015-06-23UTC01:51:58) UTC[2]
RocketVega (VV05)
Launch siteKourou SLV
ContractorArianespace
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Semi-major axis7,167.10 km (4,453.43 mi)
Eccentricity0.000127
Perigee altitude788.06 km (489.68 mi)
Apogee altitude789.87 km (490.80 mi)
Inclination98.5623°
Period100.65 minutes
Epoch9 March 2017, 21:05:23 UTC[3]
Transponders
BandS band (TT&C support)
X band and optical laser through EDRS (data acquisition)
Bandwidth64 kbit/s upload (S band)
128 kbit/s - 2 Mbit/s down (S band)
520Mbit/s down (X band/Optical)
Instruments
Multi-Spectral Imager (MSI)
 

On 7 March 2017 the Sentinel-2A was joined in orbit by its sister satellite, Sentinel-2B.

Mission history

Launch

Sentinel 2A was launched by the Vega VV05 rocket on 23 June 2015 at 01:52 UTC. The satellite separated from the upper stage 54 min 43 s after liftoff.[5]

Orbital operation

The satellite captured its first image 100 hours after launch, making a 290 km wide swath from Sweden through Central Europe to Algeria.[6][7]:8 Commissioning occurred in October 2015.[7]:8

Between 20 and 23 January 2017 the spacecraft suffered a mission planning anomaly which resulted in loss of data from the Multi-Spectral Imager.[8]

References
  1. "Sentinel-2: The Operational Compernicus Optical High Resolution Land Mission" (PDF). European Space Agency. 2013. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  2. "Second Copernicus environmental satellite safely in orbit". European Space Agency. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  3. "Sentinel 2A - Orbit". Heavens-Above. 9 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  4. Justice, Adam (23 June 2015). "Sentinel-2A: Satellite blasts off to provide new, improved view of Earth". International Business Times. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  5. "Sentinel-2A satellite launched from Kourou". RT.com. In Motion. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  6. "Sentinel-2 delivers first images". European Space Agency. 29 June 2015. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  7. Hoersch, Bianca (2015). A short success story of Sentinel-2A (PDF). Meeting of the Earth Observation Programme Board. 22–23 September 2015. ESRIN, Frascati, Italy. Retrieved 1 February 2017.
  8. "Loss of Sentinel-2A acquisitions between 20 and 23 January 2017". European Space Agency. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.

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