1. Mission Objectives and Applications
- Sentinel-5 has a crucial role in tracking the composition of our atmosphere.
- One of Sentinel-5’s primary objectives is to monitor the troposphere, the lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere. This includes tracking concentrations of pollutants, such as nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, and other aerosols, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of air quality.
2. Technical Specifications
- Developed by Airbus Defence and Space, the Sentinel-5 instrument, UVNS (Ultraviolet/Visible/Near Infrared/SWIR), is a passive spectrometer designed for comprehensive atmospheric monitoring.
- The approximate date of the launch of Sentinel-5A will be December 2024.
- Capable of measuring from Ultraviolet (UV) to Short-wave Infrared (SWIR), Sentinel-5 operates in 6 spectral channels: 1 UV channel, 1 UV-Visible channel, 3 near-infrared (NIR) channels, and 2 SWIR channels. The spectral resolution ranges from 1nm (UV) to 0.25nm (SWIR).
- Both Sentinel-5 satellites (A & B) will share a sun-synchronous orbit at 817 km altitude.
3. Observation Frequency
- Depending on the latitude revisit time is around 2 days near the equator, and farther away results in daily revisits.
4. Open Access Data
- Continuing the tradition of the Copernicus program, Sentinel-5 adheres to an open data policy.
References:
https://sentinels.copernicus.eu/web/sentinel/missions/sentinel-5
https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/copernicus-sentinel-5#summary
https://space24.pl/strona-tagow/sentinel-5
Additional links:
https://app.spectator.earth/acquisition-plan