NASA will provide live coverage of the pre-launch preparation and launch of Sentinel-6B, an international mission providing critical sea and ocean level data to protect coastal infrastructure, improve weather forecasting and support commercial activities at sea.
Launch is scheduled for 12:21 pm EST on Monday, November 17 (9:21 pm PST on Sunday, November 16) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 4 Vostok at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Watch coverage starting at 11:30 pm EST (8:30 pm PST) on NASA+, Amazon Prime and other platforms. Find out how watch NASA content through various platforms, including social networks.
The Sentinel-6B mission continues a multi-year effort to monitor global sea level and ocean conditions using precise radar measurements from space. Since the early 1990s, satellites launched by NASA and domestic and international partners have collected accurate sea level data. The launch of Sentinel-6B will extend this data set by nearly four decades.
NASA mission coverage is as follows (all times are Eastern time and subject to change based on real-time operations):
Saturday, November 15
4:00 pm – NASA International Ocean Tracking Mission pre-launch teleconference.
- Karen St. Germain, director of the Earth Sciences Division at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
- Pierrick Veilleumier, Sentinel-6B Project Manager, ESA (European Space Agency)
- Parag Vaze, Sentinel-6B Project Manager, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California
- Tim Dunn, senior director of launch services for NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
- Julianna Sheiman, Director of NASA Science Missions, SpaceX
- 1st Lt. William Harbin, Launch Weather Officer, USAF.
The audio teleconference will be broadcast on NASA video on YouTube channel.
Media interested in participating by telephone must RSVP no later than two hours prior to the start of the teleconference at: [email protected]. NASA copy media accreditation policy is online.
Sunday, November 16
23:30 – Start of broadcast of the presentation. NASA+, Amazon Primeand much more.
Audio coverage only
Only audio coverage of the launch will be broadcast on NASA's “V” channels, which can be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220 or -1240. On launch day, NASA+'s non-commentary “mission audio” countdown will be available by calling 321-867-7135.
NASA website launch coverage
A report on the launch day of the mission will be available on the website agency website. Coverage will include links to livestreams and blog updates, which will begin no earlier than 11:00 pm EST on November 16th, when the countdown milestones occur. Streaming video and photos of the launch will be available on demand shortly after launch. Follow the NASA news countdown Blog Sentinel-6/Jason-CS.
For countdown coverage, contact NASA Kennedy News at 321-867-2468.
Attend the presentation virtually
Members of the public I can register attend this launch virtually. NASA virtual guest program for this mission includes curated launch resources, notifications of related capabilities or changes, and a post-launch NASA virtual guest passport stamp.
Watch and participate on social networks
Let people know you're watching the mission on X, Facebook, and Instagram by following and tagging these accounts:
X: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAJPL, @NASAEarth
Facebook: NASA, NASA Kennedy, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NASA Earth
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASAJPL, @NASAEarth
Sentinel-6B is the second of the twin satellites in the Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS (Continuity of Service) mission, a collaboration between NASA, ESA, EUMETSAT (the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). First satellite of the mission Sentinel-6 Michael Freilichlaunched in November 2020. The European Commission provided financial support and the French space agency CNES (National Center for Space Research) provided technical expertise. The mission also marks the first international participation in Copernicus, the European Union's Earth observation program.
For more information about these missions, visit:
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/sentinel-6b/
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Elizabeth Vlok
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
[email protected]
Lijay Lockhart
Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
321-747-8310
[email protected]
Andrew Wang / Andrew Good
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.
626-379-6874 / 818-393-2433
[email protected] / [email protected]
