Sentinel-6: 'Dog kennel' satellite blasts off on ocean mission

[Corona]

A satellite that will be critical to the understanding of climate change has blasted skyward from California.​

Sentinel-6 "Michael Freilich" is set to become the primary means of measuring the shape of the world's oceans.

Its data will track not only sea-level rise but reveal how the great mass of waters is moving around the globe.

Looking somewhat like a dog kennel, the sophisticated 1.3-tonne satellite was taken aloft from the Vandenberg base on a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket.

The Sentinel is a joint endeavour between Europe and the US, and will continue the measurements that have been made by a succession of spacecraft, called the Jason-Topex/Poseidon series, going back to 1992.

These earlier missions have shown unequivocally that sea levels globally are rising, at a rate in excess of 3mm per year over the 28-year period. And their most recent data even suggests there is an acceleration under way, with levels recorded as going up at over 4mm per year.

source:https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-55022567[/RIGHT]​

 

[ZandraJoi]

I'm into astronomy & do try to follow what's going on. Only thing I don't care for with these satellites is the cost. That money could be put to use for people here on Earth. This one is for climate change, which is more than likely due to humans, IMO. Instead of viewing it from above the atmosphere, help people implement changes down here.