Atlas SLV-3C Centaur

With liftoff scheduled for September, excitement is building at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana as two cutting-edge Earth observation satellites, FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C, have arrived to begin their launch campaigns.

Thirty years after the European Space Agency first demonstrated the power of flying two satellites in very close formation, the concept was recently recreated. By temporarily positioning two Copernicus Sentinel-1 radar satellites to replicate the pioneering ERS-1–ERS-2 ‘tandem mission’, ESA achieved one-day repeat radar imaging of the same Antarctic region.

After 12 years of exceptional service, the pioneering Copernicus Sentinel-1A radar satellite has reached the end of its mission. Originally designed for a seven-year life in orbit, the satellite has exceeded expectations, not only by its longevity, but through the extraordinary impact of its data, which have deepened our understanding of our changing planet and supported a wide range of operational services and laid the foundation for scientific discoveries.

MILAN — Switzerland’s decision not to participate in the European Union’s Copernicus Earth observation program during the 2028–2034 funding cycle has revived a broader debate over the value of contributing […] The post Swiss decision to not contribute to Copernicus tests program’s value model appeared first on SpaceNews.

This radar image from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission captures Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, the surrounding countryside and the Rio de la Plata estuary.