Europe launches weather satellite with Ariane 6 rocket
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The European Space Agency launched a satellite into orbit Tuesday from its spaceport in French Guiana using an Ariane 6 rocket. (Photo Credit: Bill Ingalls/UPI | License Photo)
Nov. 4 (UPI) -- The European Space Agency launched its fourth satellite on Tuesday as part of a broader weather-monitoring mission to aid disaster-response teams, climate scientists and governmental agencies.
The launch took place using the Ariane 6 heavy-lift rocket from the agency's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
The successful liftoff comes just months after the same rocket model was used to send a similar weather and climate satellite into orbit as Europe has turned to commercial companies to get back into the space race.
Tuesday's launch is part of the Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission, which produces radar images of the Earth's surface in all weather conditions, day or night.
Data produced by the mission's satellites is free and assists with environmental management, maritime authorities and others who need frequently updated information on weather conditions, according to the agency.
The newest satellite, the Sentinel-1D, will eventually take over the functions of the Sentinel-1A, which has been in orbit for 11 years and is operating past its planned obsolescence.
The Sentinel-1D will work with the Sentinel-1C, and both have synthetic aperture radar instruments to capture high-resolution pictures of the Earth's surface.
Additionally, both are equipped with systems that aid the detection and tracking of ships.
The agency contracted French launch service company Arianespace to manage the launch of the Ariane 6 rocket, which stands at 60 meters (roughly 200 feet) tall and achieved lift off at 6:02 p.m. local time, according to the company.
The launch was the third commercial flight for the company's Ariane 6 rocket, and it successfully put the satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit in a little over half an hour.
"The Ariane 6 production ramp-up is now well underway, guaranteeing Europe's sovereign access to space," Martin Sion, CEO of ArianeGroup, said in a statement.
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