A year of Sentinel-3B

On this day, exactly one year ago, the satellite Sentinel-3B launched from Plesetsk, Russia, to join its twin satellite Sentinel-3A.

Together, they now work as part of the Copernicus Programme to deliver data measuring the oceans.

Both Sentinels orbit around the Earth every day at different times and locations, in order to record the maximum amount of data and provide optimal coverage.

Since its launch last year, Sentinel-3B has been busy complementing -3A by continuously delivering products.

Each satellite has 3 instruments on board: the Ocean and Land Colour Imager (OLCI), the Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer (SLSTR) and the Synthetic Aperture Radar Altimeter (SRAL).

These instruments work very hard to provide us with a clear picture of our oceans and seas and they each focus on one aspect:

• The OLCI shows us the ocean colour;
• The SLSTR records the ocean temperature;
• The SRAL displays sea and ocean surface topography.

With this data we are able to get an accurate understanding of the health of our waters and help shape policies to protect the environment.

If you’re feeling nostalgic, head over here to read the post recalling the launch event.

If you want to know more about Sentinels and the Copernicus Programme, visit our EUMETSAT website.

Originally published at https://l-zone.info.