Sentinel-1C

ESA is considering moving up the launch of the new SAR satellite, Sentinel-1C, in response to the potential loss of Sentinel-1B.

Sentinel-1C will round out the initial capacity offered by Sentinel-1A and Sentinel-1B to provide radar-based environmental and security monitoring.

Sentinel-1C will round out the initial capacity offered by Sentinel-1A and Sentinel-1B to provide environmental and security monitoring via spaceborne radar systems.

The new radar instrument for Sentinel-1C is largely identical to its two predecessors but includes a patented Airbus separation mechanism featuring soldered joints at the main connection points that melt when exposed to strong heating and separate the radar antenna from the satellite platform.

Before the 2023-06-28 test incident, Vega C was expected to make its next launch late in 2023 carrying the Sentinel-1C radar imaging satellite for the Copernicus program.

Europe had planned to return Vega C to flight by the end of 2023 to launch the Sentinel-1C radar imaging satellite.

Sentinel-1C includes an Automatic Identification System (AIS) payload to track ships that broadcast AIS signals and to support marine surveillance using Sentinel-1 radar imagery.

Sentinel-1C extends the Sentinel-1 mission by delivering high-resolution C-band radar imagery to monitor Earth’s changing environment.

Sentinel-1C is equipped with a Synthetic Aperture Radar instrument that allows precise measurements of water and ice surfaces as well as ground movements.

During the commissioning of Sentinel-1C, initial end-to-end calibration and validation of the radiometry and geometry of the system will be performed.

Sentinel-1C is a radar imaging satellite built by Thales Alenia Space for the Copernicus program run by the European Space Agency and the European Commission.

Sentinel-1D and Sentinel-1C are equipped with C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instruments.

The C-band SAR instruments on Sentinel-1D and Sentinel-1C can capture detailed surface imagery regardless of cloud cover or light conditions.

Once operational, Sentinel-1D will join Sentinel-1C in orbit to ensure continuity and reliability of Copernicus radar imaging services.

Sentinel-1C currently operates with Sentinel-1A to deliver radar images of Earth’s surface in all weather conditions, day and night.

Leonardo supplied attitude sensors (Autonomous Star Tracker) and radar power units for Sentinel-1C and -1D.

Both Sentinel-1D and Sentinel-1C carry a C-band synthetic aperture radar instrument and an Automatic Identification System instrument.

Both Sentinel-1D and Sentinel-1C are equipped with C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for capturing high-resolution Earth surface images.

Thales Alenia Space received 400,000,000 EUR in 2015 to build Sentinel-1C and Sentinel-1D for the European Commission’s Copernicus system.

The European Space Agency will launch the Sentinel-1C radar imaging satellite on a Vega C rocket in 2023.