(Credits ESA)
| Satellite |
Sentinel 3 - Ocean |
| Launch |
November 2012 |
| Mission |
to provide operational oceanography data for GMES |
| Altitude |
814 km |
| Inclination |
98.5º |
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Sentinel-3 is a mission dedicated to providing operational oceanographic services within the frame of the GMES (Global Monitoring of Environment and Security) programme (newly renamed Kopernikus).
It will provide data on an operational basis, in support of services that have been developed with ERS and Envisat since 1991. The altimeter part component of the mission will further complement that of Jason and others to contribute to a worldwide operational oceanographic service. Taking into account the global context and in particular European needs, capabilities and plans, the Sentinel-3 mission should begin by including first those components which (being well-defined and already exploited on a near-operational basis) have no guaranteed operational continuity beyond Envisat. These elements are the high-inclination altimeter and the visible-infrared component for products based on ocean colour and sea-surface temperature based products. In addition, activities related to the accommodation of the IR sensor on Sentinel-3 will be added during the second part of the definition study.
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