Sea-level monitoring satellite lifts off

The Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite was launched on 21 November 2020 from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, US.

This latest Copernicus satellite will continue the long-term record of reference measurements, extending the record of sea-level height into a fourth decade. Since sea-level rise is a key indicator of climate change, accurately monitoring the changing height of the sea surface over decades is essential for climate science, for policy-making and, ultimately, for protecting the lives of those in vulnerable low-lying areas.