Sentinel-4 set to join next weather satellite
Copernicus Sentinel-4, which is set to play a key role in monitoring air quality over Europe, is ready to be fitted to its host, the first Meteosat Third Generation Sounder weather satellite.
Copernicus Sentinel-4 is a state-of-the-art ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared spectrometer instrument that has been developed to deliver hourly high-resolution measurements of trace gases such as nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide and formaldehyde, as well as aerosols.
This new instrument will be carried on the Meteosat Third Generation Sounder (MTG-S) satellites, the first of which is slated to be launched in the second half of next year.
Sentinel-4 will work in synergy with MTG-S’ infrared sounder instrument.
From geostationary orbit, 36 000 km above the equator with Europe and North Africa in continuous view, the two satellite instruments will be key to monitoring air quality and pollution – serving the needs of the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service.
This will help decision-makers shape European policy on public health and air-traffic safety to help protect European citizens.
Sentinel-4 also establishes the European component of a constellation of geostationary instruments that includes the US Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution (TEMPO) and the South Korean Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS).
This constellation will provide scientists with crucial knowledge about air quality over large parts of the northern hemisphere.
The Sentinel-4 instrument builds heritage from Sciamachy, which was carried on ESA’s Envisat satellite, and the current Tropomi instrument carried on the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite.
ESA and Airbus in Germany have spent the last 12 years developing Copernicus Sentinel-4.
Following an intense calibration phase, it has now been shipped from Rutherford Appleton Laboratory’s testing facilities in the UK, to OHB System AG in Germany, which is the prime contractor for MTG-S, for integration on the MTG-S satellite.
ESA’s Copernicus Sentinel-4 Project Manager, Giorgio Bagnasco, said, “With the delivery of the first Sentinel-4 instrument to the MTG-S prime contractor for integration, we have achieved an important milestone for the mission.
“Airbus has done a fantastic job during development and now we look forward to seeing this exceptional instrument become part of the MTG-S satellite.”
Once in orbit, Eumetsat will operate both MTG-S and Sentinel-4 and make the data available to users.
