6 Things to Know From NASA About New US, European Sea Satellite
NASA is gearing up for the launch of Sentinel-6B, a satellite that will significantly enhance our understanding of global sea levels. Scheduled for liftoff no earlier than November 17, 2025, Sentinel-6B is the second satellite in the Sentinel-6/Jason-CS (Continuity of Service) mission, a collaborative effort involving NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and other international partners. This satellite aims to continue a critical data record that has been measuring sea surface heights since 1992, providing invaluable information for coastal management, hurricane forecasting, and even the safe return of astronauts from space. Sentinel-6B will work in tandem with its predecessor, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, to ensure the accuracy and continuity of sea level data, which is crucial for understanding climate change and its impacts on coastal communities.
The data collected from Sentinel-6B will have far-reaching implications. It will cover approximately 90% of Earth’s oceans, offering insights into sea level changes that can help inform city planning, infrastructure protection, and disaster preparedness. For instance, accurate sea level measurements are essential for predicting coastal flooding and understanding the dynamics of ocean currents, which can affect shipping routes and search-and-rescue operations. Moreover, this mission supports national security efforts by providing near-real-time data on ocean and atmospheric conditions, thereby aiding in the protection of military installations from flooding and other climate-related threats. The collaboration behind this mission exemplifies the pooling of expertise and resources from multiple countries, allowing for the creation of a comprehensive dataset that benefits not only scientists and researchers but also policymakers and industries around the globe.
As Sentinel-6B prepares for its launch, it represents a significant step forward in our ability to monitor and adapt to the changing environment. The satellite’s data will not only aid in immediate applications like hurricane forecasting and coastal infrastructure protection but also contribute to long-term strategies for managing the effects of climate change. By enhancing our understanding of sea level rise and its local variations, Sentinel-6B will empower decision-makers with the information needed to safeguard communities and ecosystems in the face of rising waters. This mission is a testament to the importance of international collaboration in addressing global challenges, paving the way for future advancements in Earth science and space exploration.
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Set to launch no earlier than Nov. 16, Sentinel-6B will continue a decades-long data record of sea level measurement that will help decision-makers manage coastal flooding, support hurricane intensity forecasts, and assist in the return of astronauts from space.
NASA
Data from Sentinel-6B will continue a decades-long record of sea surface height, helping to improve coastal planning, protect critical infrastructure, and advance weather forecasts.
With launch set for no earlier than 12:21 a.m. EST Monday, Nov. 17, Sentinel-6B is the latest satellite in a series of spacecraft NASA and its partners have used to measure sea levels since 1992. Their data has helped meteorologists improve hurricane forecasts, managers protect infrastructure, and coastal communities plan.Â
After launch, Sentinel-6B will begin the process of data cross-calibration with its predecessor,
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich
, to provide essential information about Earth’s ocean.Â
Sentinel-6B is the second of two satellites that constitute the Sentinel-6/Jason-CS (Continuity of Service) mission, a collaboration between NASA, ESA (European Space Agency), EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The European Commission contributed funding support while France’s space agency CNES (Centre National d’Études Spatiales) provided technical expertise.
Here are six things to know about Sentinel-6B and the broader Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission:Â
1.
Sentinel-6B will deliver data on about 90% of Earth’s ocean, providing direct benefits to humanity
.
Sentinel-6B will contribute to a multidecade dataset for sea level measurements from space. This data is key to helping improve public safety, city planning, and protecting commercial and defense interests.Â
Pioneered by NASA and its partners, the dataset enables users in government, industry, and the research community to better understand how sea levels change over time. Combined with information from other NASA satellites, data from Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS is vital for tracking how heat and energy move through Earth’s seas and atmosphere, as well as for monitoring ocean features such as currents and eddies. The measurements come courtesy of a radar altimeter that measures sea levels for nearly all of Earth’s ocean, providing information on large-scale currents that can aid in commercial and naval navigation, search and rescue, and the tracking of debris and pollutants from disasters at sea.
Sentinel-6B is part of a U.S.-European mission that will continue 30-year-plus record of sea-level measurements. Its observations will help build an accurate picture of local and global sea surface heights to support storm forecasting, secure coastal infrastructure, and help optimize commercial activities, such as shipping.
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
2.
Data from the Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission helps NASA prepare for the next phase of space exploration
.
The better we understand Earth, the better NASA can carry out its mission to explore the universe. Data from the Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission is used to refine the Goddard Earth Observing System atmospheric forecast models, which the NASA Engineering Safety Center uses to plan safer reentry of astronauts returning from Artemis missions.
Additionally, changes to Earth’s ocean, observed by satellites, can have measurable effects beyond our planet. For instance, while the Moon influences ocean tides on Earth, changes in those tides can also exert a small influence on the Moon. Data from Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS can help improve understanding of this relationship, knowledge that can contribute to future lunar exploration missions.
3.
The Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission helps the U.S. respond to challenges by putting actionable information into the hands of decision-makers
.
Data collected by the mission helps city planners, as well as local and state governments, to make informed decisions on protecting coastal infrastructure, real estate, and energy facilities. The mission’s sea level data also improves meteorologists’ weather predictions, which are critical to commercial and recreational navigation. By enhancing weather prediction models, data provided by Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS improves forecasts of hurricane development, including the likelihood of storm intensification, which can aid disaster preparedness and response.
Get the Sentinel-6B Press Kit
4.
Data from Sentinel-6B will support national security efforts
.
The ocean and atmosphere measurements from Sentinel-6B will enable decision-makers to better protect coastal military installations from such events as nuisance flooding while aiding national defense efforts by providing crucial information about weather and ocean conditions. The satellite will do so by feeding near-real time data on Earth’s atmosphere and seas to forward-looking weather and ocean models. Since the measurements are part of a long-term dataset, they also can add historical context that puts the new data in perspective.
5.
The Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission’s direct observation of sea levels delivers information critical to protecting coastlines, where nearly half of the world’s population lives
.
Sea level rise varies from one area to another, meaning that some coastlines are more vulnerable than others to flooding, erosion, and saltwater contamination of underground freshwater supplies, the latter of which threatens farmland and drinking water. Sea level measurements from Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, and soon, Sentinel-6B, form the basis of U.S. flood predictions for coastal infrastructure, real estate, energy storage sites, and other coastal assets. Knowing which regions are more vulnerable to these risks will enable U.S. industries and emergency managers to make better-informed decisions about transportation and commercial infrastructure, land-use planning, water management, and adaptation strategies.
6.
The international collaboration behind the mission enables the pooling of capabilities, resources, and expertise
.
The multidecadal dataset that this mission supports is the result of years of close work between NASA and several collaborators, including NASA, ESA, EUMETSAT, CNES, and NOAA. By pooling expertise and resources, this partnership has delivered cost-effective solutions that have made precise, high-impact data available to industry and government agencies alike.
More about Sentinel-6B
Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS was jointly developed by ESA, EUMETSAT, NASA, and NOAA, with funding support from the European Commission and technical support from CNES. The mission also marks the first international involvement in Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth Observation Programme.Â
Managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, JPL contributed three science instruments for each Sentinel-6 satellite: the
Advanced Microwave Radiometer
, the
Global Navigation Satellite System – Radio Occultation
, and the
laser retroreflector array
. NASA is also contributing launch services, ground systems supporting operation of the NASA science instruments, the science data processors for two of these instruments, and support for the international ocean surface topography community.Â
For more about Sentinel-6B, visit:
How Sentinel-6B Will Help Ships at Sea
How Sentinel-6B Will Help Improve Hurricane Forecasts
How Do We Measure Sea Level?
News Media Contacts
Elizabeth Vlock
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
elizabeth.a.vlock@nasa.gov
Andrew Wang / Andrew Good
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
626-379-6874 / 626-840-4291
andrew.wang@jpl.nasa.gov
/
andrew.c.good@jpl.nasa.gov
2025-124
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Last Updated
Nov 14, 2025
Related Terms
Sentinel-6B
Earth
Earth Science
Earth Science Division
Jason-CS (Continuity of Service) / Sentinel-6
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