Copernicus Sentinel-1 is used to observe many features of the environment, from detecting and monitoring oil spills and mapping sea ice to monitoring motion in land surfaces and mapping modifications in the best way land is used. It additionally performs an important position in offering well timed info to assist reply to pure disasters and help humanitarian aid efforts. Credit score: ESA/ATG medialab

On December 23, 2021, Copernicus Sentinel-1B skilled an anomaly associated to the instrument electronics energy provide supplied by the satellite tv for pc platform, leaving it unable to ship radar knowledge. Spacecraft operators and engineers have been working tirelessly since then to rectify the difficulty. Sadly, regardless of all concerted efforts, ESA (European Area Company) and the European Fee announce that it’s the finish of the mission for Sentinel-1B. Copernicus Sentinel-1A stays absolutely operational and plans are in power to launch Sentinel-1C as quickly as potential.

ESA’s Director of Earth Commentary Packages, Simonetta Cheli, said, “Sadly, we’ve to announce the top of the mission for the Copernicus Sentinel-1B satellite tv for pc. The conclusion drawn by the Anomaly Assessment Board is that it’s not possible to get well the 28V regulated bus of the satellite tv for pc’s C-band artificial aperture radar antenna energy provide unit, which is required to supply energy to the radar electronics.


“Sentinel-1A stays very wholesome in orbit, persevering with to ship high-quality radar photos for a mess of functions. Our focus is on fast-tracking the launch of Sentinel-1C. Now, because of the profitable inaugural flight of the Vega-C rocket on July 13, we, with Arianespace, are focusing on the launch within the second quarter of 2023.”

Vega C VV21 liftoff on July 13, 2022. Credit score: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/Optique Video du CSG/S Martin

European Fee’s Performing Director for Area (Directorate Normal for Protection Business and Area), Paraskevi Papantoniou, said, “The everlasting unavailability of Sentinel-1B satellite tv for pc represents an vital loss for the European Union’s house program and the European Fee is engaged to mitigate its influence. We notably managed to maneuver ahead the launch of Sentinel-1C satellite tv for pc.


“In the meantime, Copernicus Contributing Mission knowledge, together with from European New Area firms, will proceed for use to assist probably the most vital Copernicus Companies merchandise which can be affected. The preparations for the de-orbiting of Sentinel-1B satellite tv for pc are an instance of our joint dedication, for the European Union and ESA, to wash and accountable house, utilizing the EU’s Area Surveillance and Monitoring capabilities.”

In April 2014, Sentinel-1A was the primary satellite tv for pc to be launched for Copernicus, the Earth statement element of the European Union’s house program. Though the European Union is on the helm of Copernicus, ESA develops, builds, and launches the devoted Sentinel satellites. It additionally operates a few of the missions.

Copernicus Sentinel-1 carries a complicated artificial aperture radar that works in a number of specialised modes to supply detailed imagery for Europe’s Copernicus program. These knowledge might be used for functions comparable to monitoring the oceans, together with transport lanes, sea ice, and oil spills. It additionally supplies knowledge to map altering land cowl, floor deformation, ice cabinets, and glaciers, and can be utilized to assist emergency response when disasters comparable to floods strike and to assist humanitarian aid efforts at occasions of disaster. Credit score: ESA/ATG medialab

After the Sentinel-1B launch in April 2016, with the mission comprising two similar satellites orbiting 180° aside, the mission was capable of picture the planet with a most repeat frequency of six days, right down to each day protection at excessive latitudes.


Carrying superior artificial aperture radar expertise to supply an all-weather, day-and-night provide of images of Earth’s floor, the bold Sentinel-1 mission raised the bar for spaceborne radar.

The mission advantages quite a few Copernicus companies and functions, comparable to people who relate to Arctic sea-ice monitoring, iceberg monitoring, glacier-velocity monitoring, routine sea-ice mapping, surveillance of the marine surroundings together with oil-spill monitoring and ship detection for maritime safety, in addition to unlawful fisheries monitoring. Additionally it is used for monitoring floor deformation ensuing from subsidence, earthquakes, and volcanoes, mapping for forest, water, and soil administration, and mapping to assist humanitarian assist and disaster conditions.

As Europe’s middle of excellence for mission operations, the European Area Operations Centre (ESOC) is house to the engineers who management spacecraft in orbit, handle our international monitoring station community, and design and construct the methods on floor that assist missions in house. Since 1967, over 60 satellites belonging to ESA and its companions have been flown from Darmstadt, Germany. Credit score: ESA/J.Mai – CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

With such a major position to play and customers counting on well timed knowledge, ESA acted as quickly because it was clear that Sentinel-1B’s energy concern may take some weeks to resolve, which was the hope on the finish of December.


ESA’s Sentinel-1 Mission Supervisor, Pierre Potin, mentioned, “Along with the European Fee we’re ensuring to bridge a few of the knowledge gaps by adjusting the Sentinel-1A statement plan and thru radar knowledge from different satellite tv for pc missions that contribute to the Copernicus program. For instance, we’re ready to make use of knowledge from Canada’s Radarsat-2 and Radarsat Constellation Mission, Germany’s TerraSAR-X, Italy’s COSMO-SkyMed, and Spain’s PAZ to assist operational sea-ice monitoring for the Copernicus Marine Setting Monitoring Service.

“Whereas we proceed to attempt to reduce inconvenience to customers and push to get Sentinel-1C into orbit as quickly as we are able to, we’re additionally making ready for the accountable disposal of Sentinel-1B.”

The Sentinel-1 Spacecraft Operations Supervisor, Alistair O’Connell, added, “We’ve Sentinel-1B below management, all different methods besides the ability affected unit, which prevents the radar from being switched on, proceed to perform nominally and we carry out common monitoring of the spacecraft well being and routine orbit management maneuvers. We are going to maintain Sentinel-1B below management till we are able to start the disposal course of, which we are going to begin after Sentinel-1C is safely in orbit.

“Deorbiting Sentinel-1B might be carried out in response to house particles mitigation necessities that had been in place for ESA initiatives on the time of design of Sentinel-1A and Sentinel-1B, that means that re-entry within the ambiance will happen inside 25 years. In observe, the re-entry period is anticipated to be a lot shorter.”



Copernicus Sentinel-1C contains a world premiere of a new separation mechanism that can assist keep away from house particles.

A abstract of the outline of the anomaly, of the investigations, and the restoration makes an attempt, in addition to the parallel Sentinel-1 mission stage actions and method ahead is on the market on the Sentinel On-line web site.