02/07/2025 (Agence Europe) – The Copernicus Sentinel-4 mission, with the MTG-S1 satellite, is in orbit following its launch from Cape Canaveral on Tuesday 1 July, and represents a major step forward in European efforts to monitor air quality, the Commission welcomed in a press release on Wednesday 2 July. “This is the first Copernicus mission in geostationary orbit dedicated to tracking atmospheric conditions over Europe, significantly boosting the EU’s Earth observation capabilities. Sentinel-4 is equipped with an advanced UVN (Ultraviolet Visible Near-infrared) spectrometer, purpose-built to precisely measure critical atmospheric pollutants such as ozone (O₃), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), formaldehyde (HCHO), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and aerosols”. The mission will provide essential hourly data on the composition of the atmosphere. This information will provide scientists, policy-makers and environmental agencies with real-time information. (SP)