Inside SpaceX’s Payload Processing Facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the U.S.-European Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ocean-monitoring satellite is being encapsulated in the SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing on 3 November 2020. (Attribution: NASA, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en, Presented at: WindermereSun.com)Illustration of the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich spacecraft in orbit above Earth with its deployable solar panels extended. As the world’s latest ocean-monitoring satellite, it collects the most accurate data yet on global sea level and how our oceans are rising in response to climate change. (Attibution: NASA/JPL-Caltech, PD, Presented at: WindermereSun.com)
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For updated global info & data on COVID-19, please click HERE.For updated global data & graphs on COVID-19, please click HERE.For COVID-19 cases and death counts in USA by state, please click HERE.For COVID-19 cases in Florida via Florida COVID Action, please click HERE.For COVID-19 cases in Florida, via Florida state government, please click HERE.SpaceX will be launching quite a few space crafts, from Florida as well as California. SpaceX is targeting Saturday, November 21 for Falcon 9’s launch of the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich mission from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The instantaneous launch window is at 9:17 a.m. PST, 17:17 UTC, and a backup opportunity is available on Sunday, November 22 with an instantaneous launch window at 9:04 a.m. PST, 17:04 UTC. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will return to Earth and land on Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base. The spacecraft will deploy approximately 58 minutes after liftoff, in the video “Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich Mission“, below:
SpaceX have successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket from SLC-4E of Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 17:17 UTC, November 21st 2020. The rocket launched the joint NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) Sentinel-6 satellite ”Michael Freilich”. The Sentinel 6 program is made up of two identical satellites, with the first launching on this mission, they will monitor sea level change from Space, in the video “Launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 with Sentinel-6 for NASA & ESA“, below:
This is a replay of the live stream. Launch time: 12:17 pm EST (17:17 GMT) Launch site: SLC-4E, Vandenberg Air Force Base, California Destination: LEO A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Sentinel 6A, or Jason-CS A, satellite. The satellite is also named Sentinel 6-Michael Freilich in honor of the late director of NASA’s Earth science division. The satellite is a joint mission between the European Space Agency, NASA, NOAA, CNES and Eumetsat to continue the sea level data record previously collected by the Jason series of satellites. Sentinel 6A, built by Airbus Defense and Space and Thales Alenia Space in Europe, will also join the European Commission’s Copernicus Earth observation satellite network. Delayed from Nov. 10 by Merlin 1D engine issue, in the video “REPLAY: SpaceX Falcon 9 launches Sentinel-6 “Michael Freilich”(21 Nov 2020)“, below:
The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite was launched by a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, on 21 November 2020, at 17:17 UTC (09:17 PST). The Sentinel-6 mission is part of the European Union’s family of Copernicus satellite missions and consists of two satellites: Copernicus Sentinel-6A and Copernicus Sentinel-6B, scheduled to launch in 2025. The Copernicus Sentinel-6 mission aims to provide the most accurate data yet on sea level and how it changes over time. NASA’s contribution to the mission are three science instruments for each of the two satellites, the Advanced Microwave Radiometer, the Global Navigation Satellite System – Radio Occultation, and the Laser Retroreflector Array, as well as launch services, awarded for Sentinel-6A to SpaceX for approximately 97 million USD, and supporting operations of the NASA science instruments. The Sentinel-6A satellite was renamed in honor of Dr. Michael H. Freilich, the former director of NASA’s Earth Science Division. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage landed on Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Credits: ESA/NASA/SpaceX/IABG/USAF 30th Space Wing/Mike Peters, in the video “Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich launch and Falcon 9 first stage landing“, below:
To better understand Sentinel-6 Mission/Program, please refer to the excerpt from wikipedia, in italics, below:
In the video “Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich-Mission“, below:
The Sentinel-6 mission also referred to as the Jason-CS mission, are two twin satellite altimeters which were developed by European Space Agency (ESA) in the context of the EuropeanCopernicus Programme led by the European Commission, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT),NASA, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with funding support from the European Commission and technical support from France’s National Centre for Space Studies (CNES) (Centre national d’études spatiales).[1]The Sentinel-6 program includes two identical satellites, to be launched five years apart, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, which launched on 21 November 2020[2] and Sentinel-6B, which will launch in 2025.[3]These satellites will measure sea level change from space, which have been measured without interruption since 1992.[4][5]The Sentinel-6A satellite was renamed on January 20, 2020 in honor of the former director of NASA Earth Science Division,Michael Freilich, who was instrumental in advancing space-based ocean measurements. It follows the most recent U.S.-European sea level observation satellite, Jason-3, which launched in 2016, and is currently providing high-precision and timely observations of the topography of the global ocean.[6]Since the launch of TOPEX/Poseidon on 10 August 1992, high-precision satellite altimeters have been essential to monitor how the ocean stores and redistributes heat, water, and carbon in the climate system. The two satellites, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich and Sentinel-6B, will extend this legacy through to at least 2030 which will provide a nearly forty-year record of sea level rise as well as changes in ocean currents.[3][7]The Sentinel-6 mission is part of the Copernicus programme initiative, the main objective of the Sentinel-6 mission is to measure sea surface topography with high accuracy and reliability to support ocean forecasting systems, environmental monitoring and climate monitoring.[8]The mission definition is driven by the need for continuity in provision of TOPEX/Poseidon missions and Jason satellite series (Jason-1, OSTM/Jason-2, and Jason-3) with improvements in instrument performance and coverage.[9] ESA, NASA, and EUMETSAT will provide mission management and system engineering support. EUMETSAT and NASA will be responsible for long-term archives of altimetry data products. All partners will be involved with the selection of science investigators.[9]
Now, for those of you who don’t know who Michael Freilich is, please refer to the excerpt from wikipedia, in italics, below:
Michael H. Freilich (January 14, 1954 – August 5, 2020) was an American oceanographer who served as director of the NASA Earth Science division from 2006–2019.[1]In January 2020, NASA announced that the Sentinel-6A Oceanography mission was being renamed the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich in his honor.[2] Freilich played a key role in establishing the international partnership behind this mission.[3]Thomas Zurbuchen, head of NASA’s Science Directorate, paid tribute to him as follows:
“Mike Freilich exemplified the commitment to excellence, generosity of spirit and the unmatched ability to inspire trust that made so many people across the world want to work with NASA, to advance big goals on behalf of the planet and its people”.[3]
In addition to his leadership in defining the direction of Earth systems science research, Michael Freilich was committed to enhancing diversity and increasing educational opportunities for underrepresented groups in remote sensing and climate science research. To this end, Oregon State University has established the Michael Freilich Memorial Fund to support Mike’s commitment in this area.Freilich was born in Kensington, Maryland. He earned his undergraduate degree from Haverford College in 1975 and a doctorate from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in 1982.[4] Prior to being recruited by NASA, he served as a professor and associate dean at Oregon State University‘s College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences.[1] He died, at his residence, of pancreatic cancer on the 5th of August 2020.
Gathered, written, and posted by Windermere Sun-Susan Sun Nunamaker More about the community at www.WindermereSun.comAny comments, suggestions, concerns regarding this post will be welcomed at info.WindermereSun@gmail.com
I am a mother/wife/daughter, math professor, solar advocate, world traveler, yogi, artist, photographer, sharer of knowledge/information, and resident of Windermere, FL. I've worked professionally in applied math, engineering, medical research, and as a university math professor in IL and FL for about 20 years. My husband and I loved Disney and moved down to Central Florida initially as snowbirds. But we've come to love the warmth and friendly people offered by this community and decided to move down to Windermere, FL full time in 2006. I am now spending time sharing information/ knowledge online, promoting understanding of math and solar energy (via http://www.sunisthefuture.net ), and developing Windermere Sun (http://www.WindermereSun.com) as an online publication, sharing and promoting Community ABC's (Activities-Businesses-Collaborations) for healthier/happier/more sustainable living. In the following posts, I'll be sharing with you some of the reasons why Windermere has attracted us to become full-time residents of Central Florida region. Please feel free to leave your comments via email at "Contact Us" in the topbar above or via info.WindermereSun@gmail.com.
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email: info.WindermereSun@gmail.com
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