Rehearsing for Sentinel-6B’s early days in space

Written by Copernical Team Wednesday, 08 October 2025 07:00

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In September, mission controllers at ESA's mission control centre started a major simulations exercise to ensure that the next Copernicus Sentinel Earth Observation mission, Sentinel-6B, safely navigates its first days in space.

Last month, mission controllers at ESA's mission control centre started a major simulations exercise to ensure that the next Copernicus Sentinel Earth Observation mission, Sentinel-6B, safely navigates its first days in space. As the launch is approaching, so is the end of this critical pre-launch phase.

Almost a ‘carbon copy’

Sentinel-6B is essentially a twin of Sentinel-6 ‘Michael Freilich' with the same design, launcher, and launch site. Many systems, including flight dynamics and simulations, are reused or slightly evolved from Sentinel-6.

“One main aspect is that the team has changed a lot since Sentinel-6, both at ESOC and on the project and manufacturer side,” explains Eduardo Zornoza, Spacecraft Operations Manager for Sentinel-6B. “For this reason, we’ve scheduled an adequate number of sessions to get everyone up to speed and familiar with the satellite.”

Unlike other Copernicus Sentinel Earth Observation missions, but similarly to Sentinel-6, the Launch and Early Orbit Phase will be handled by teams at ESOC, while daily flight operations will be managed by Eumetsat, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites.