The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
Go to topicThank you for liking
You have already liked this page, you can only like it once!
The Copernicus Sentinel-6 satellites reach 66°N and 66°S – a specific orbit occupied by the earlier missions that supplied the reference sea-surface height data over the last three decades. This orbit allows 95% of Earth’s ice-free ocean to be mapped every 10 days. As the next radar altimetry reference mission, Copernicus Sentinel-6 is continuing the long-term record of sea-surface height measurements that were started in 1992 by the French–US Topex Poseidon satellite and then by the Jason series of satellite missions. Copernicus Sentinel-6 comprises two identical satellites launched five years apart. Firstly, Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich in 2020 and then Copernicus Sentinel-6B in 2025 to supply measurements until at least 2030.