Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich
	Illustration of the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich spacecraft in orbit above Earth with its deployable solar panels extended
Names	Sentinel-6A; Jason-CS A
Mission type	Oceanography mission
Operator	EUMETSAT / NASA
COSPAR ID	2020-086A
SATCAT no.	46984
Website	www.eumetsat.int/sentinel-6
Mission duration	5.5 years (planned); 3 years, 5 months and 23 days (in progress)
Spacecraft properties
Bus	Sentinel-6
Manufacturer	Airbus Defence and Space
Launch mass	1,192 kg (2,628 lb)
Dimensions	5.13 x 4.17 x 2.34 metres
Power	891 watts
Start of mission
Launch date	21 November 2020,; 17:17:08 UTC
Rocket	Falcon 9 Block 5
Launch site	Vandenberg, SLC-4E
Contractor	SpaceX
Entered service	21 June 2021
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Altitude	1,336 km (830 mi)
Inclination	66.0°
Repeat interval	10 days
Instruments
	Radar altimeter; Advanced Microwave Radiometer (AMR-C); GNSS Precise Orbit Determination (POD) Receiver; DORIS Receiver; Laser Reflector Array (LRA); Radio-occultation instrument;
	; Logo of the Sentinel-6 programme Sentinel programme ← Sentinel-5 Sentinel-7 → Copernicus programme ← Jason-3 Sentinel-6B (2025) →

The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich (S6MF) or Sentinel-6A is a radar altimeter satellite developed in partnership between several European and American organizations. It is part of the Jason satellite series and is named after Michael Freilich. S6MF includes synthetic-aperture radar altimetry techniques to improve ocean topography measurements, in addition to rivers and lakes.^[2] The spacecraft entered service in mid 2021 and is expected to operate for 5.5 years.

^ "New sea-level monitoring satellite goes live". ESA. 21 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
^ Donlon, Craig J.; Cullen, Robert; Giulicchi, Luisella; Vuilleumier, Pierrik; Francis, C. Richard; Kuschnerus, Mieke; Simpson, William; Bouridah, Abderrazak; Caleno, Mauro; Bertoni, Roberta; Rancaño, Jesus (1 June 2021). "The Copernicus Sentinel-6 mission: Enhanced continuity of satellite sea level measurements from space". Remote Sensing of Environment. 258: 112395. Bibcode:2021RSEnv.258k2395D. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2021.112395. ISSN 0034-4257. S2CID 233566650.

[ESA20210621-1] "New sea-level monitoring satellite goes live". ESA. 21 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.

[2] Donlon, Craig J.; Cullen, Robert; Giulicchi, Luisella; Vuilleumier, Pierrik; Francis, C. Richard; Kuschnerus, Mieke; Simpson, William; Bouridah, Abderrazak; Caleno, Mauro; Bertoni, Roberta; Rancaño, Jesus (1 June 2021). "The Copernicus Sentinel-6 mission: Enhanced continuity of satellite sea level measurements from space". Remote Sensing of Environment. 258: 112395. Bibcode:2021RSEnv.258k2395D. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2021.112395. ISSN 0034-4257. S2CID 233566650.

[1]

[2]

Spacecraft properties
Illustration of the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich spacecraft in orbit above Earth with its deployable solar panels extended
Names	Sentinel-6A Jason-CS A

Mission type	Oceanography mission
Operator	EUMETSAT / NASA
COSPAR ID	2020-086A
SATCAT no.	46984
Website	www.eumetsat.int/sentinel-6
Mission duration	5.5 years (planned) 3 years, 5 months and 23 days (in progress)


Bus	Sentinel-6
Manufacturer	Airbus Defence and Space
Launch mass	1,192 kg (2,628 lb)
Dimensions	5.13 x 4.17 x 2.34 metres
Power	891 watts


Start of mission
Launch date	21 November 2020, 17:17:08 UTC
Rocket	Falcon 9 Block 5
Launch site	Vandenberg, SLC-4E
Contractor	SpaceX
Entered service	21 June 2021 ^[1]


Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric orbit
Regime	Low Earth orbit
Altitude	1,336 km (830 mi)
Inclination	66.0°
Repeat interval	10 days

Instruments
Radar altimeter Advanced Microwave Radiometer (AMR-C) GNSS Precise Orbit Determination (POD) Receiver DORIS Receiver Laser Reflector Array (LRA) Radio-occultation instrument
Logo of the Sentinel-6 programme Sentinel programme ← Sentinel-5 Sentinel-7 → Copernicus programme ← Jason-3 Sentinel-6B (2025) →