French Guiana: As the launch date of Sentinel-2A approaches, the team at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, has said farewell to the satellite as it was sealed from view in the Vega rocket fairing. Liftoff is set for 23 June at 01:52 GMT (03:52 CEST; 22:52 local time on 22 June).
The Sentinel-2 mission is dedicated to Europe’s Copernicus environmental monitoring programme. Once operational, Sentinel-2 will be used for agriculture and forestry. Satellite images will determine various plant features, including leaf chlorophyll and water content. The new satellite will also be used to map changes in land cover, to monitor the world’s forests, and to gain information on water pollution. Images of floods, volcanic eruptions and landslides will contribute to disaster mapping and help in relief and rescue efforts.
Source: ESA
