Today, Sentinel 1A, the first satellite primer of the European Union’s Copernicus program, was successfully launched from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

The Sentinel program, which forms part of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security program now renamed Copernicus, comprises five satellite families: Sentinel-1, designed to ensure the continuity of ERS and Envisat radar data, Sentinel-2 and -3, dedicated to Earth and ocean monitoring; and Sentinel-4 and -5, dedicated to meteorology and climatology missions, based on a study of the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere.

This new fleet of satellites will provide a huge amount of fundamental images and data for the Copernicus program and will offer a series of key services for a wide range of applications.

Sentinel-1 is an outstanding example of European technological excellence. It has been designed and built by a 60-company consortium led by Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space.

GMV is playing a key role in the Copernicus program, participating actively in various projects for both the ground and space segment. During launches it provides support services for the mission planning and control systems. For Sentinel 1A in particular GMV has made contributions in fields as diverse as mission analysis, development of the operational simulator, the control system, mission planning and the provision of satellite services.

When the satellite constellation is complete it will image the entire Earth every six days, transmitting data to ground stations spread throughout the whole world.