The Copernicus Sentinel-2B satellite tv for pc captured this picture over Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on 2 September, simply forward of the Sentinel-2C launch.
Zoom in to discover this picture at its full 10 m decision or click on on the circles to be taught extra.
Europe’s Spaceport is located within the northeast of South America in French Guiana, an abroad division of France. The spaceport lies northwest of Kourou, a coastal city on the estuary of the Kourou River, each seen close to the centre of the picture. After working for 144 km, the river flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The brownish hue of its muddy waters is almost definitely the results of sediment gathered from the close by forest.
White, sandy seashores stretch alongside the ocean coast north of Kourou, whereas the riverbank and the inside areas are largely coated by mangroves and dense tropical rainforest.
The spaceport is dwelling to the ESA-developed Ariane and Vega rocket households, whose launch pads may be noticed within the high left nook of the picture.
Due to its geographical place close to the equator, the spaceport is ideally positioned as launchers profit from elevated velocity owing to the ‘slingshot’ impact, created by the pace of Earth’s rotation.
From right here, the third Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite tv for pc, Sentinel-2C, launched on 5 September aboard the ultimate Vega rocket.
The Sentinel-2 mission relies on a constellation of two equivalent satellites flying in the identical orbit however 180° aside: presently Sentinel-2A and Sentinel-2B. With Sentinel-2C now in orbit, it’s going to quickly change its predecessor, Sentinel-2A, prolonging the lifetime of the mission and guaranteeing a steady provide of information for Copernicus, the Earth remark part of the EU Area Programme.
Sentinel-2 knowledge are presently getting used for a broad vary of functions, together with agriculture, water high quality monitoring, methane emissions detection and pure catastrophe administration, together with wildfires, volcanic eruptions and floods.
