Imagine a world where coastal cities are better protected from rising sea levels, where weather forecasts are significantly more accurate, and where maritime activities are safer and more efficient. That future is closer than you think, and NASA is inviting you to witness a key moment in making it a reality: the launch of Sentinel-6B, an international ocean tracking mission. Get ready to witness history!
NASA will be providing live coverage of all the pre-launch excitement and the launch itself. This isn’t just another space mission; Sentinel-6B is designed to deliver crucial data about our oceans, directly impacting everything from coastal infrastructure protection to improving weather forecasting and supporting maritime commerce. Think of it as a critical tool in understanding and managing the health of our planet.
The launch is currently scheduled for 12:21 a.m. EST on Monday, November 17th (which is 9:21 p.m. PST on Sunday, November 16th). A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will carry Sentinel-6B into orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. So, set your alarms and get ready for an out-of-this-world experience!
Coverage kicks off at 11:30 p.m. EST (8:30 p.m. PST) and will be available on NASA+, Amazon Prime, and other platforms. If you're wondering how to tune in, NASA has made it super easy with a dedicated page outlining all the viewing options, including social media streams: https://www.nasa.gov/general/watch-nasa-programming/.
But here's where it gets interesting... Sentinel-6B is not a standalone project. It's the next step in a decades-long commitment to monitoring global sea levels and ocean conditions. Since the early 1990s, satellites launched by NASA and its global partners have been diligently collecting precise radar measurements from space. The launch of Sentinel-6B will extend this continuous dataset to nearly four decades, providing an unprecedented long-term view of our changing oceans.
NASA's mission coverage schedule is packed with informative events (all times are Eastern and subject to change based on the unpredictable nature of live operations):
Saturday, Nov. 15th
- 4 p.m. – NASA Prelaunch Teleconference on International Ocean Tracking Mission: This is your chance to hear directly from the experts! The panel includes:
- Karen St. Germain, director, Earth Science Division, NASA Headquarters in Washington
- Pierrik Veuilleumier, Sentinel-6B project manager, ESA
- Parag Vaze, Sentinel-6B project manager, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California
- Tim Dunn, senior launch director, Launch Services Program, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida
- Julianna Scheiman, director, NASA Science Missions, SpaceX
- 1st Lt. William Harbin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force
You can listen to the teleconference live on the NASA Video YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/nasagovvideo.
Sunday, Nov. 16th
- 11:30 p.m. – Launch coverage begins on NASA+ (https://plus.nasa.gov/scheduled-video/sentinel-6b-launch/), Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/livetv?ref=atvhmlivLRad2e3bslct&serviceToken=v0Cl0KJDJmNzY1MjdmLTYwNjYtNGFkNC05Y2RjLWJiMDBjYWRiMjdiMxCQ482f-jIaLExpNitvL2dzaDBoR0NjVGdhVGdLTHptYkF6dHpuZ29zb2VJMDZ6YWhmZEk9IAESBmZpbHRlchgBIgRob21lKgRsaXZlWj8KDGxpbmVhckZpbHRlchIvCi1hbXpuMS1wdi1saW5lYXItbGl2ZV90YWItZmlsdGVyLWxlYXJuX2V4cGxvcmV6AIIBBjAAUABwAA%3D%3D), and more.
For those who prefer to listen in, audio-only coverage will be available on the NASA “V” circuits. You can access these by dialing 321-867-1220 or -1240. On launch day, “mission audio” countdown activities, without the NASA+ commentary, will be carried at 321-867-7135.
Want to follow along on the NASA website? Launch day coverage will be available on the agency’s website (https://www.nasa.gov/live). This includes live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 11 p.m. EST, Nov. 16th, tracking all the countdown milestones as they happen. Streaming video and photos of the launch will be accessible on demand shortly after liftoff. You can also follow countdown coverage on NASA’s Sentinel-6/Jason-CS blog: https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/sentinel-6/.
And here is the part most people miss: You can attend the launch virtually! NASA is offering a virtual guest program. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/nasas-sentinel-6-b-mission-launch-registration-1406253164069. This program includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and even a stamp for your NASA virtual guest passport after the launch. It's a fun and engaging way to be part of the mission!
Don't forget to share your excitement on social media! Use X, Facebook, and Instagram to let everyone know you're watching the mission. Tag these accounts:
- X: @NASA (https://x.com/nasa), @NASAKennedy (https://x.com/NASAKennedy), @NASAJPL (https://x.com/NASAJPL), @NASAEarth (https://x.com/nasaearth)
- Facebook: NASA (https://www.facebook.com/NASA), NASA Kennedy (https://www.facebook.com/nasakennedy), NASA JPL (https://www.facebook.com/NASAJPL/), NASA Earth (https://www.facebook.com/nasaearth)
- Instagram: @NASA (https://www.instagram.com/nasa/), @NASAKennedy (https://www.instagram.com/nasakennedy/), @NASAJPL (https://www.instagram.com/nasajpl), @NASAEarth (https://www.instagram.com/nasaearth)
Sentinel-6B is actually the second of two identical satellites in the Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS (Continuity of Service) mission. This is a major international collaboration involving NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The first satellite, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich (https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/sentinel-6/), launched back in November 2020. The European Commission provided funding, and France’s space agency CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales) contributed technical expertise. This mission also marks the first international involvement in Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth Observation Programme.
For more in-depth information about the mission, you can visit: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/sentinel-6b/
Now, here's a thought: Given the international collaboration and the long-term nature of this mission, do you believe that sustained funding for Earth observation programs like Sentinel-6 is critical, even if it means potentially reallocating resources from other areas of space exploration? Some might argue that focusing on understanding our own planet is paramount, while others might prioritize exploration beyond Earth. What are your thoughts? Share your perspective in the comments below!
