Brussels, 03/04/2014 (Agence Europe) - Sentinel 1A, the first satellite of the EU's earth observation programme, Copernicus, was to be launched from Kourou in French Guiana at 23.02 Brussels time on Thursday 3 April. This launch makes reality of a space initiative that seeks to provide information on the atmosphere, oceans and continental surfaces, in support of a broad range of security and environmental policy applications and decisions.
This first Sentinel 1A satellite will provide a number of services, such as monitoring sea ice zones, surveillance of the marine environment, including oil-spill monitoring and ship detection, and monitoring land surface motion risks. It will also be used in mapping land surfaces and mapping in support of humanitarian aid in crisis situations. With Sentinel 1B, which is to be launched later this year, it will constitute a constellation of two satellites sharing the same orbital plane and performing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging. (MD)