When was the Sentinel-2 launched?

June 23, 2015
Sentinel-2/Fly dates
The Sentinel-2 mission consists of two satellites developed to support vegetation, land cover, and environmental monitoring. The Sentinel-2A satellite was launched by ESA on June 23, 2015, and operates in a sun-synchronous orbit with a 10-day repeat cycle.

How far back does Sentinel-2 go?

It aims at monitoring variability in land surface conditions, and its wide swath width (290 km) and high revisit time (10 days at the equator with one satellite, and 5 days with 2 satellites under cloud-free conditions which results in 2-3 days at mid-latitudes) will support monitoring of Earth’s surface changes.

What is the difference between Sentinel 1 and Sentinel-2?

The first Sentinel-1 satellite was launched in April 2014. The objective of Sentinel-2 is land monitoring, and the mission will be composed of two polar-orbiting satellites providing high-resolution optical imagery. The Sentinel-5 UVNS instrument is a spectrometer carried aboard the MetOp Second Generation satellites.

Is Sentinel-2 SAR data?

The Sentinel-2 mission has the following key characteristics: Multi-spectral data with 13 bands in the visible, near infrared, and short wave infrared part of the spectrum. Systematic global coverage of land surfaces from 56° S to 84° N, coastal waters, and all of the Mediterranean Sea. Free and open data policy.

What are sentinel 2 images?

The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission is based on a constellation of two identical satellites in the same orbit. Each satellite carries an innovative wide swath high-resolution multispectral imager with 13 spectral bands for a new perspective of our land and vegetation.

Can Sentinel 2 see through clouds?

The cloud-free Sentinel-2 images have been selected with a threshold of 10% cloud coverage, while cloudy images are within 20% and 70% of cloud coverage. The Sentinel-2 data is from the Level-1C top-of-atmosphere reflectance product and has values in the range [0, 10,000]. All 13 original bands were included.

Can Sentinel-2 see through clouds?

What can I monitor with Sentinel-2?

As well as monitoring plant growth, the Sentinel-2 instruments can be used to map changes in land cover and to monitor the world’s forests. It will also provide information on pollution in lakes and coastal waters.

How do I stop cloud cover satellite images?

Methods of Removing Cloud Cover from Satellite Imagery [2] A more common approach today is using pixel sorting, where multiple images are utilized and images are selected that are not too dark (e.g., shadowing) or bright (i.e., cloud cover).

What is a cloud mask?

Cloud Mask (Dense/Cirrus) The cloud mask enables cloudy and cloud-free pixels to be identified. The mask includes both dense clouds and cirrus clouds with an indicator specifying the cloud type. Processing is performed with data sampled at 60 m spatial resolution for all spectral bands.

When was the first Sentinel 2 satellite launched?

The two satellites will work on opposite sides of the orbit. The launch of the first satellite, Sentinel-2A, occurred 23 June 2015 at 01:52 UTC on a Vega launch vehicle. Sentinel-2B was launched on 7 March 2017 at 01:49 UTC, also aboard a Vega rocket.

How often does the Sentinel 2 mission occur?

The Sentinel-2 mission has the following key characteristics: Revisiting every 10 days under the same viewing angles. At high latitudes, Sentinel-2 swath overlap and some regions will be observed twice or more every 10 days, but with different viewing angles.

Where are the Copernicus Sentinel 2 satellites located?

The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission comprises a constellation of two polar-orbiting satellites placed in the same sun-synchronous orbit, phased at 180° to each other.

How often does the Sentinel satellite orbit the Earth?

The orbit is an average height of 785 km and the presence of two satellites in the mission allow repeated surveys every 5 days at the equator and every 2-3 days at middle latitudes.