SpaceX F9 : Sentinel-6A Michael Freilich : Vand. : Nov. 21, 2020 (17:17 UTC)

[jacqmans]

DAY FIFTY-THREE

NOVEMBER 12, 2020  SENTINEL-6

For the key members of the launch team the day started by arriving at the South gate by 01:30.

Shaf was there making smoothies as usual, but more importantly supporting the communications setup.

The Launch Dress Rehearsal ran very smoothly resulting in a launch abort to allow the spacecraft to be safely shut down. Well done to all involved at VAFB and ESOC.

https://sentinel6.blog/2020/11/12/day-fifty-three/

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DAY FIFTY-FOUR

NOVEMBER 13, 2020 SENTINEL-6

Well today started with a launcher meeting which identified an amazing number of people involved in our launch.

Once concluded the team supported the launcher mission dress rehearsal with 9 anomaly cases being acted out. This was a challenge and interesting to see how everyone worked together.

On the launcher side that are continuing work on the engine and preparing for the mate to the Transport erector scheduled for this evening.

https://sentinel6.blog/2020/11/13/day-fifty-four/

[jacqmans]

Call for Media: Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ready to map Earth’s oceans

Media are invited to join a trilingual press briefing on Thursday 19 November at 10:00 CET where officials from ESA, the European Commission, Eumetsat, NASA and marine applications users will discuss the impending launch of the Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ocean-monitoring satellite.

Scheduled for launch on 21 November 2020 from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, USA, the Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite is the first of two identical satellites to provide critical measurements of sea-level change.
Charting sea level
Scheduled for launch on 21 November 2020 from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, USA, the Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite is the first of two identical satellites to provide critical measurements of sea-level change.

Once safely in orbit, the satellite will continue the long-term record of reference sea-surface height measurements and extend the records of sea level into its fourth decade. The satellite will map 95% of Earth’s ice-free ocean every 10 days and provide crucial information for operational oceanography and climate studies.

Since sea-level rise is a key indicator of climate change, accurately monitoring the changing height of the sea surface over decades is essential for climate science, for policy-making and for protecting those in low-lying regions at risk.

The satellite was renamed in honour of Michael H. Freilich, the former director of NASA’s Earth Science Division. The Copernicus Sentinel-6 mission is a true example of international cooperation. While Sentinel-6 is one of the European Union’s family of Copernicus missions, its implementation is the result of the unique collaboration between ESA, NASA, Eumetsat and NOAA, with contribution from the French space agency CNES.

Teleconference Programme - Thursday 19 November
10:00-11:00 CET session conducted in German
•    Josef Aschbacher, Director for Earth Observation Programmes, ESA
•    Rolf Densing, Director of ESA Operations
•    Matthias Petschke, Director Space, DG Defence, Industry and Space, EC
•    Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA
•    Karina Von Schuckmann, Oceanographer specialised in ocean climate monitoring, Mercator Ocean
•    Cosmas Heller, Lead Systems Engineer for Sentinel-6, Airbus
•    Joerg Schulz, Climate Service and Product Manager, Eumetsat

10:00-11:00 CET session conducted in French
•    Pierrik Vuilleumier, Copernicus Sentinel-6 Project Manager, ESA
•    José Morales, Head of Earth Observation Mission Operations, ESA
•    Pierre Delsaux, Deputy DG, DG Defence, Industry and Space, EC
•    Alain Ratier, Director General, Eumetsat
•    Philippe Pham, SVP Earth Observation, Airbus
•    Selma Cherchali, Head of Earth Science Programme, CNES
•    Pierre Bahurel, Director General, Mercator Ocean

11:30-12:30 CET session conducted in English
•    Josef Aschbacher, Director for Earth Observation Programmes, ESA
•    Rolf Densing, Director of ESA Operations
•    Alain Ratier, Director General, Eumetsat
•    Thomas Zurbuchen, Associate Administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA
•    Cosmas Heller, Lead Systems Engineer for Sentinel-6, Airbus
•    Mauro Facchini, Head of Earth Observation, DG Defence, Industry and Space, EC
•    Natasha Pushkin, Propulsion Architect, Airbus UK
•    Pierre-Yves Le Troan, Scientific Director, Mercator Ocean

Media registration
Press are invited to register at the following link and are kindly asked to indicate the choice(s) of language by Wednesday 18 November: https://www.esa.int/Contact/mediaregistration

After registering, media will receive additional information and a direct landline number to call for the relevant language. For further information, please contact ESA Newsroom and Media Relations Office – Bernhard von Weyhe at [email protected] or by calling +33153697504.

An audio recording of the press briefings and Q&A sessions will be provided to journalists.

Further information
More information about Copernicus Sentinel-6 mission:
https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-6
https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-6/Facts_and_figures
https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-6/Why_is_sea_level_rising

More information about ESA Earth observation: http://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth

More information about ESA: www.esa.int

[otter]

https://twitter.com/NASAKennedy/status/1328371026414108672

On Nov. 21, @NASA & @SpaceX will launch the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich spacecraft — the world's latest Earth-observing satellite! This mission, managed by @NASA_LSP based here at Kennedy, will lift off from @30thSpaceWing in California: https://go.nasa.gov/3kyTUUI

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/nasa_lsp/status/1328437050396196864

🚀 Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich is ‘GO’ to proceed toward Nov. 21 launch!

The Flight Readiness Review for the U.S.-European ocean-monitoring satellite has concluded, & teams are proceeding toward a 9:17 am PT liftoff from @30thSpaceWing: go.nasa.gov/36KoGVJ #SeeingTheSeas 🌊

[Raul]

Launch Hazard Areas for mission 1478 Sentinel-6 MF from VAFB SLC-4E planned for Nov 21 17:17 UTC, altern. Nov 22-25 based on issued NOTMARs.
RTLS LZ-4 landing for booster 1063.1.
PLanned Stage2 debris reentry on the second orbit in south Pacific.

[gongora]

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1328779234945478663

Static fire test complete – targeting Saturday, November 21 for Falcon 9 launch of the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich mission and landing at SLC-4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California

[DaveJes1979]

Any news yet on where the roadblock will be on Ocean Avenue?  The location has not been constant in previous RTLS launches.  I'm also worried that they will implement some silly restrictions for public observers because of COVID excuses.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Scheduled for 20 Nov 2020
Together, U.S and European partners are preparing to launch the ocean-observing Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite, the first of two identical satellites to head into Earth orbit to continue #SeeingTheSeas: collecting sea level observations for at least the next decade. Join us at 5 p.m. EST (2 p.m. PST, 10 p.m. UTC) for a live prelaunch news conference to learn about the spacecraft, the partnerships, and the teams working together to assure a successful launch. Hear from experts at NASA, ESA, NASA's Launch Services program, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the U.S. Space Force's 30th Space Wing. Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich is targeted for liftoff Sat., Nov. 21 at 12:17 p.m. EST (9:17 a.m. PST, 5:17 p.m. UTC) on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

[whitelancer64]

Any news yet on where the roadblock will be on Ocean Avenue?  The location has not been constant in previous RTLS launches.  I'm also worried that they will implement some silly restrictions for public observers because of COVID excuses.

As long as everyone has masks and groups stay six feet apart, I don't see any reason that should be a problem. We'll be outdoors anyway.

[zubenelgenubi]

Any news yet on where the roadblock will be on Ocean Avenue?  The location has not been constant in previous RTLS launches.  I'm also worried that they will implement some silly restrictions for public observers because of COVID excuses.

As long as everyone has masks and groups stay six feet apart, I don't see any reason that should be a problem. We'll be outdoors anyway.

Re: the "usual" public viewing area, see here in the Falcon 9 Vandenberg viewing thread. = The Hawk's Nest

[DaveJes1979]

https://www.noozhawk.com/article/covid_concerns_to_close_viewing_site_at_vandenberg_afb_for_spacex_launch

The Hawk's Nest viewing location will be closed due to COVID concerns.

Santa Barbara County, like most of its California counterparts, returned to the most restrictive purple tier this week on the state's Blueprint for a Safer Economy because of rising COVID-19 cases.
<snip>
As is typical for some South Base rocket launches, campers at Jalama Beach County Park, just south of Vandenberg, will be evacuated for several hours before the blastoff as a precaution.

We will have to see what they do with Ocean Avenue.

[vaporcobra]

Some specific launch timing details from ESA:

2 minutes and 16 seconds after launch: main engine cut off, second stage separation and then second-engine Start 1 will occur in quick succession. Reusable Falcon 9 first stage then begins its automated boost-back to the launch site for a powered landing.

3 minutes: After protecting the satellite as the rocket travelled through the atmosphere, the launch vehicle's nose cone will separate and jettison.

8 minutes: Stage-II engine cut-off.

53 minutes: Stage-II first restart for a 15 second burn, followed by Stage-II engine cut-off.

58 minutes: launch vehicle and satellite separation.

1 hour and 7 minutes: satellite begins solar panel deployment.

1 hour and 33 minutes: planned first contact for satellite telemetry downlink by ground stations in Alaska.

https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-6/Watch_live_Copernicus_Sentinel-6_Michael_Freilich_launch

[jacqmans]

Team talk: 10 things about Copernicus Sentinel-6
20/11/2020

On Saturday 21 November, the Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite will launch from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, US. Learn more about how the satellite will measure sea-surface height with greater precision than ever before through this series of soundbites from ESA experts and spokespeople.

https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-6/Team_talk_10_things_about_Copernicus_Sentinel-6

[jacqmans]

DAY FIFTY-SEVEN

NOVEMBER 16, 2020 SENTINEL-6

To start with the weekend, some of the team was on standby Saturday to perform some umbilical checks through the launcher. These were unfortunately delayed until Sunday morning when they were successfully completed.

Yesterday was also the successful launch of the crew to the ISS which is good news for the crew plus another obstacle out of the way to our launch.

Today the satellite was powered for a health check and to exercise the reaction wheels to ensure they run freely after launch.

The Flight Readiness Review (FRR) was held and everything agreed pending the results of the Static Fire test, where they roll out the launcher to the pad and fire the nine engines.

The launcher was rolled out to the pad and turned vertical in preparation for the test tomorrow.

Sadly today the team learnt of the loss of the Seosat satellite during its launch on Vega. This is always a shock and is heart felt for the teams who have spent may years preparing the satellite for launch.


https://sentinel6.blog/2020/11/16/day-fifty-seven/

[jacqmans]

DAY FIFTY-EIGHT (L-4)

NOVEMBER 17, 2020 SENTINEL-6

This was another major milestone on the road to launch as the launcher would have its engines fired in what is called a Static Test to check all is functioning correctly.

During this the launch complex has to be cleared so no other activities on the satellite could go on in parallel.

The team took the opportunity to continue preparations for the transportation home after the launch as this is now approaching fast.

Some of the team were also lucky enough to have a tour of the Firefly launcher on SLC-2.

https://sentinel6.blog/2020/11/17/day-fifty-eight-l-4/

Unfortunately today is the last evening where restaurants can have 25% occupancy inside. Due to the increased covid situation we are now back to meals outside or take away.

[jacqmans]

DAY FIFTY-NINE (L-3)

NOVEMBER 18, 2020 SENTINEL-6


The satellite was moved through into the hanger in preparation for mating to the launcher.

The launcher was moved horizontal and work performed in preparation for its roll back to the Hangar.

Once rolled back the Encapsulated Assembly (EA), Satellite PLA, PAF and fairing, will be mated to the launcher early tomorrow morning.

We are getting closer!!

The second batch of the team today took the advantage of an offer to visit the Firefly launcher being assembled on SLC-2.

It was impressive to see and very much based on the Falcon-9 concept.


At 17:00 we heard over the base PA system the usual end of day anthem.

Listen to Anthem:  https://sentinel5p.files.wordpress.com/2020/11/audio-2020-11-18-17-18-31.m4a



We can tell we are getting close to launch as our hotel is full of primarily NASA people here for our launch.

Finally rather embarrassingly are our interviews

https://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos/2020/11/Copernicus_Sentinel-6_Michael_Freilich_pre-launch_interviews



https://sentinel6.blog/2020/11/18/day-fifty-nine-l-3/

[jacqmans]

DAY SIXTY (L-2)

NOVEMBER 19, 2020 SENTINEL-6


Everyone is getting very excited as we are approaching the launch.

The launcher has rolled back into the Hangar and the Encapsulated Assembly has been integrated to the launcher. The team has been performing tests and is preparing for the rollout tomorrow morning.

It is now getting very real!!

Luisella, the System Manager, and Craig the project scientist have been interviewed

https://videopress.com/v/vOd6sXww

https://videopress.com/v/aPgufBbc


https://sentinel6.blog/2020/11/19/day-sixty-l-2/

[jacqmans]

Mission control ready for Sentinel liftoff
20/11/2020

After months practising the critical ‘Launch and Early Orbit Phase’ with a simulated Sentinel-6 spacecraft, the control team at ESA’s Operations Centre are ready for liftoff with the real thing.

The Earth observation spacecraft from the EU’s Copernicus programme will launch on a Space X Falcon 9 rocket at 17:17 GMT (18:17 CET) from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, US, on Saturday, 21 November.

Once ESA’s mission control has guided the Sentinel through the critical early phase, configuring the spacecraft and performing two orbit manoeuvres to get it close to its final orbit, EUMETSAT – Europe’s weather satellite organisation – will then complete the final ‘orbit acquisition’ and take on responsibility for commissioning, routine operations and distribution of the mission’s vital data.

This Launch and Early Orbit Phase, or LEOP, is the most risky period in a spacecraft’s life. It's the period in which the new spacecraft begins using its solar arrays for power, wakes up to test its core functioning and manoeuvres into the correct path, all the while at its most vulnerable to the hazards of space.

The target orbit for the new mission is a low-Earth orbit at about 1300 km altitude, inclined about 66 degrees with respect to the equator. This allows the satellite to map up to 95% of Earth’s ice-free ocean every 10 days. Timing here is extremely important, as Sentinel-6 needs to fly in tandem with the Jason 3 spacecraft it is replacing, falling into position behind it with a separation of just 30 seconds, or about 230 kilometres.

This is why simulations and dress rehearsals are so important – they give the team the chance to go through seamless scenarios as well as problem-solve and brainstorm during ones in which something goes wrong. This picture was taken during the Sentinel-6 dress rehearsal on 12 November, and shows Ground Operations Manager Brett Durret ‘on console’ in ESA’s Main Control Room.

The dress rehearsal is a vital part of spacecraft launch preparations, as it's the first time the control team practise the launch countdown sequence leading to lift off while in direct communication with the spacecraft at the launch pad, the ground stations and partners around the globe.

Sentinel-6 is one of the European Union’s family of Copernicus missions and its implementation is the result of unique collaboration between ESA, NASA, Eumetsat and NOAA, with contribution from the French space agency CNES.

[jacqmans]

DLR Press Release, 20 November 2020

New climate guardian in space – Sentinel-6 will monitor global rise in sea levels - Eighth satellite of the European Copernicus programme scheduled to launch on 21 November


Full article with images: https://www.dlr.de/content/en/articles/news/2020/04/20201120_satellit-sentinel-6-lift-off.html

With the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite, a new 'climate guardian' will observe Earth from space. On 21 November 2020 at 18:17 CET (09:17 local time), the eighth satellite of the European Copernicus programme is scheduled to lift off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California (US) on board a Falcon 9 launcher. "Climate change is one of the great challenges of our time," explains Walther Pelzer, a member of the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) Executive Board and Head of the DLR Space Administration. "Sentinel-6 will help to continuously and reliably monitor global sea level rise. With this mission, we are therefore further expanding our leading role in space-based climate observation." In addition to sea level, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich will also record the sea state and ocean currents. The satellite is expected to remain in service until at least 2025. After that, the identical Sentinel-6B satellite will continue the measurement series.

Sea level rise is more than three millimetres per year

At present, sea level is rising worldwide by an average of just over three millimetres per year and this is set to increase. Approximately half of this rise can be attributed to the effects of melting ice sheets and glaciers, the rest to the thermal expansion of the oceans as temperatures rise. "With this mission, we want to find out how sea levels will develop in the future," says Jörn Hoffmann, Programme Manager for Copernicus at the DLR Space Administration. "Satellite data can be used to assess, for example, whether political measures to limit climate change are effective and how well global climate models predict the development of sea levels."

In addition, Sentinel-6 will monitor the sea state and ocean currents. This information will enable conclusions to be drawn about heat transport in the oceans, which has a direct influence on the global climate. For example, the warm Gulf Stream is responsible for the relatively mild climate in northern Europe. This information is an important input variable for model calculations addressing climate development. All data from Sentinel-6 will be available to users free of charge.

Six scientific instruments will observe the oceans

Orbiting at an altitude of approximately 1300 kilometres, Sentinel-6 will observe Earth using six scientific instruments. The satellite’s main instrument is Poseidon-4. This radar altimeter will measure sea level rise with an accuracy of a few centimetres. Over longer time periods, it will thus be possible to determine long-term rates of change in the range of a few tenths of a millimetre per year. The measurements will also provide information on sea topography and waves.

A microwave radiometer, AMR-C, will determine the atmospheric water vapour content between Earth's surface and the satellite and use this value to make Poseidon-4’s height measurements more precise. The Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS) and Global Navigation Satellite System – Precise Orbit Determination (GNSS-POD) instruments, together with a Laser Reflector Array (LRA) will be used to determine the satellite's exact orbit. This precise information on the satellite’s trajectory will make it possible to determine the exact sea level. The accurate orientation of Sentinel-6 will be determined using a star tracker. A radio occultation receiver will be used to measure temperature and humidity in the different layers of the atmosphere.

For almost 30 years, high-precision satellite altimeters have been measuring sea level as an important indicator of climate change. Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich will now take over this task from the Jason-3 satellite launched in January 2016 and collect environmental data for at least five and a half years. The identical Copernicus Sentinel-6B satellite is scheduled for launch in 2025 and will continue the measurement series into the next decade. The first Sentinel-6 satellite is named 'Michael Freilich' in honour of the former Director of Earth Sciences at the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), who passed away earlier this year, in recognition of his services to Earth observation and marine satellite observations.

European-US cooperation on Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich

The Copernicus programme is implemented by the European Commission together with the European Space Agency (ESA). Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich was developed as a European-US cooperation. In Europe, ESA and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) are involved, with the support of the French space agency (Centre national d'études spatiales; CNES). In the US, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are participating. Industrial leadership has been assumed by Airbus Defence and Space in Friedrichshafen, which also built the satellite platform, with key components supplied by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany. The main instrument, the Poseidon-4 radar altimeter, was built by Thales-Alenia Space in Toulouse. The microwave radiometer AMR-C, the GNSS receiver and the laser reflector array were provided by NASA. On behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (Bundesministerium fuer Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur; BMVI), the DLR Space Administration is responsible for the ESA Copernicus Space Component Programme, which financed the development of Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich.

Copernicus – the European Earth observation programme

Copernicus is the European Union (EU) Earth observation programme, implemented in partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA). It serves to collect and evaluate Earth remote sensing data. These data are used by public authorities, commercial organisations, scientific researchers and interested citizens. To date, six families of satellites have been developed especially for Copernicus. They are known as Sentinels and record the state of Earth and its atmosphere and thus provide important data for climate protection, sustainable development, humanitarian aid and civil security. The satellite data are supplemented by measurements performed on the ground, in the air and from the water. Six further satellite missions were agreed upon at the ESA Ministerial Council Meeting in Seville in 2019. ESA and EUMETSAT are responsible for operating the 20 environmental satellites. In Germany, the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (Bundesministerium für Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur; BMVI) is responsible for Copernicus. The DLR Space Administration in Bonn is supporting the implementation of the programme in Germany.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/jimbridenstine/status/1329876074583494660

✔️🖊️ GO For Launch of Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich!

The Launch Readiness Review at @30thSpaceWing has concluded and we are GO for #SeeingTheSeas. 🌊 Launch is targeted for tomorrow, Nov. 21 at 9:17 a.m. PT aboard a @SpaceX #Falcon9 rocket:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/sentinel-6/2020/11/20/sentinel-6-michael-freilich-go-for-launch-prelaunch-news-conference-at-2-p-m-pst-5-p-m-est/

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ‘Go’ For Launch, Prelaunch News Conference at 2 p.m. PST (5 p.m. EST)

Launch and mission managers have completed the Launch Readiness Review for the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich mission. At the conclusion of the review, NASA’s Launch Services Program, SpaceX, the European Space Agency (ESA), and NOAA agreed to target the launch for 9:17 PST (12:17 p.m. EST) on Saturday, Nov. 21, from Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Currently, the 30th Space Wing weather forecast is 80% “go” for launch, with a 20% chance of violating weather constraints. The primary concern is ground winds of 20 knots at the time of launch.

A prelaunch news conference will be held at 2 p.m. PST (5 p.m. EST), live on NASA Television and the agency’s website. Participants are:

Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for Science Mission Directorate, NASA HQ
Johann-Dietrich Worner, Director-General, European Space Agency
Pierrik Vuilleumier, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich project manager, ESA
Parag Vaze, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich project manager, JPL
Tim Dunn, NASA Launch Director, Launch Services Program, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
Julianna Scheiman, program manager, NASA Launch Services, SpaceX
Anthony Mastalir, commander, 30th Space Wing and Western Launch and Test Range
John Ott, weather officer, 30th Space Wing

NASA TV launch coverage will begin at 8:45 a.m. PST (11:45 a.m. EST) on Nov. 21. You can follow the countdown milestones here on the blog and on NASA Television.

Stay connected with the mission on social media, and let people know you’re following it on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtag #SeeingTheSeas and tag these accounts:

Twitter: @NASA, @NASAEarth, @NASA_JPL, @NASASocial, @ESA, @ESA_EO, @EU_Commission, @NOAA, @CNES, @Eumetsat, @CopernicusEU, @defis_eu  @SpaceX, @NASA_LSP, @NASA360, 30thSpaceWing
Facebook: NASA, NASA JPL, NASA Earth, NASA LSP, 30thSpaceWing
Instagram: NASA, NASAJPL, NASAEarth, Vandenberg_AFB