Overview
- Liftoff is targeted for 12:21 a.m. EST on Monday, Nov. 17 (9:21 p.m. PST on Sunday, Nov. 16) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
- NASA will stream a prelaunch teleconference on Nov. 15 and begin live launch coverage Nov. 16 at 11:30 p.m. EST on NASA+ and other platforms, with additional audio and web updates.
- Sentinel-6B is the second satellite in the Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission, a collaboration among NASA, ESA, EUMETSAT, and NOAA with European Commission funding and CNES support, following Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich’s 2020 launch.
- Using radar altimetry and microwave radiometry, the mission will provide high-precision measurements of sea-surface height, significant wave height, and global wind speeds to extend the dataset to nearly four decades and strengthen weather and ocean forecasting.
- After commissioning, the spacecraft will operate alongside Michael Freilich for about one year to ensure continuity and accuracy, with a UK-built hydrazine propulsion system keeping the 1.3-ton satellite on orbit.