Sentinel-3A satellite in Cannes, France

Sentinel-3A satellite in Cannes, France, on 14 October 2015, before being packed up and shipped to Russia for launch.

Sentinel-3 will measure sea-surface topography, sea and land-surface temperature, and ocean and land-surface colour, in support of ocean and weather forecasting systems. Over land, this innovative mission will map the way land is used, study vegetation and measure the heights of rivers and lakes. In addition, it will detect and monitor wildfires. Sentinel-3A is the third satellite to be launched for Europe's Copernicus environmental monitoring programme. An industrial consortium led by prime contractor Thales Alenia Space built the satellite.

Sentinel-3A will be launched in December 2015 on a Rockot from Plesetsk in Russia.