Sentinel-3C

Sentinel-3C is a future European Earth observation satellite dedicated to oceanography which is expected to launch in 2026. It is part of the Copernicus Programme, and the third of four planned Sentinel-3 satellites (after Sentinel-3B, launched on 16 February 2018).

ESA Earth observation satellite

Sentinel-3C

Vector drawing of the Sentinel-3
Mission type	Earth observation
Operator	ESA · EUMETSAT
Website	Sentinel-3 (ESA)
Mission duration	Planned: 7 years
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft type	Sentinel-3
Bus	Prima
Manufacturer	Thales Alenia Space
Launch mass	1,250 kg (2,756 lb)[1]
Dry mass	1,150 kg (2,535 lb)[2]
Dimensions	3.9 × 2.2 × 2.2 m (12.8 × 7.2 × 7.2 ft)[1]
Power	2,300 watts[2]
Start of mission
Launch date	2026 (planned)
Rocket	Vega-C
Launch site	Kourou, ELV
Contractor	Avio
Orbital parameters
Reference system	Geocentric
Regime	Sun-synchronous
Transponders
Band	S band (TT&C support) X band (science data)
Bandwidth	S band: 64 kbit/s uplink, 1 Mbit/s downlink X band: 2 × 280 Mbit/s
Instruments OLCI Ocean and Land Colour Instrument SLSTR Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer SRAL Synthetic Aperture Radar Altimeter MWR Microwave Radiometer DORIS Doppler Orbitography and Radiopositioning Integrated by Satellite LRR Laser Retro-Reflector GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System
Sentinel-3 ← Sentinel-3B Sentinel-3D → Sentinel ← Sentinel-6B CO2M-A (Sentinel-7A) →

Sentinel-3C is a future European Earth observation satellite dedicated to oceanography which is expected to launch in 2026.^[3][4] It is part of the Copernicus Programme, and the third of four planned Sentinel-3 satellites (after Sentinel-3B, launched on 16 February 2018).^{[5][6][7][8][9][10]}

See also

[edit]

• List of European Space Agency programmes and missions

References

[edit]

1. ^ ^{a b} "Copernicus: Sentinel-3". eoPortal. European Space Agency. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
2. ^ ^{a b} "Satellite: Sentinel-3B". World Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
3. ^ "Sentinel-3 | CNES". cnes.fr. Archived from the original on 20 July 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
4. ^ "À Cannes, Thales Alenia Space prépare le futur de la surveillance des océans avec Sentinel-3D". Tribuca.net (in French). 20 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
5. ^ "Sentinel 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
6. ^ "Sentinel-3C | Vega C | Next Spaceflight". nextspaceflight.com. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
7. ^ "Sentinel-3". www.esa.int. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
8. ^ "Facts and figures". www.esa.int. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
9. ^ "Search". www.esa.int. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
10. ^ "Launches secured for five Sentinel satellites". www.esa.int. Retrieved 19 October 2025.

External links

[edit]

• Sentinel-3 program website by ESA
• Sentinel-3 website by the Copernicus Programme
• Real-time orbital tracking - uphere.space
• Sentinel-3C and Sentinel-3D side by side