The Sentinel satellites are a family of Earth observation satellites developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) for the Copernicus Programme of the European Union.
The program includes radar, optical, oceanographic, and atmospheric-monitoring satellites and payloads operating in low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit. Sentinel missions provide data for environmental monitoring, climate studies, emergency management, agriculture, and maritime surveillance.
The classes are Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, Sentinel-3, Sentinel-4, Sentinel-5, Sentinel-6, Sentinel-7.
List of Sentinel satellites SatelliteDateRocket Launch site Orbit Fate Notes Sentinel-1A 3 Apr 2014 Soyuz ST-A/Fregat Guiana, Kourou, French Guiana Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit Active First satellite of the Sentinel-1 radar mission. Sentinel-2A 23 Jun 2015 Vega Guiana, Kourou, French Guiana Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit Active First Sentinel-2 optical imaging satellite. Sentinel-3A 16 Feb 2016 Rockot/Briz-KM Plesetsk, Russia Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit Active Ocean and land monitoring satellite. Sentinel-1B 25 Apr 2016 Soyuz ST-A/Fregat Guiana, Kourou, French Guiana Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit Retired Contact lost in December 2021; mission ended in August 2022. Sentinel-2B 7 Mar 2017 Vega Guiana, Kourou, French Guiana Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit Active Companion satellite to Sentinel-2A. Sentinel-5P 13 Oct 2017 Rockot Plesetsk, Russia Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit Active Precursor mission for Sentinel-5. Sentinel-3B 25 Apr 2018 Rockot/Briz-KM Plesetsk, Russia Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit Active Second Sentinel-3 satellite. Sentinel-6A 21 Nov 2020 Falcon 9 Block 5 Vandenberg, California, United States Low Earth orbit Active Ocean altimetry mission. Sentinel-2C 5 Sep 2024 Vega Guiana, Kourou, French Guiana Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit Active Replaced Sentinel-2A in the operational constellation. Sentinel-1C 5 Dec 2024 Vega-C Guiana, Kourou, French Guiana Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit Active Restored the two-satellite Sentinel-1 constellation. Sentinel-4A 1 Jul 2025 Ariane 6 Guiana, Kourou, French Guiana Geostationary orbit Active Atmospheric-monitoring payload aboard MTG-S1. Sentinel-5A 13 Aug 2025 Ariane 6 Guiana, Kourou, French Guiana Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit Active Atmospheric spectrometer aboard MetOp-SG. Sentinel-1D 4 Nov 2025 Ariane 6 Guiana, Kourou, French Guiana Low Earth orbit Active Companion satellite to Sentinel-1C; launched to replace Sentinel-1A. Sentinel-6B 17 Nov 2025 Falcon 9 Block 5 Vandenberg, California, United States Low Earth orbit Active Ocean altimetry satellite for sea-level record alongside Sentinel-6A.Sentinel-3C15 Sep 2026Vega-CGuiana, Kourou, French GuianaLow Earth orbitActiveOcean and land monitoring
Planned satellites Sentinel-2D Sentinel-7A Sentinel-7B Sentinel-7C
See also Earth observation satellite European Space Agency Copernicus Programme
References