The joint European-U.S. Sentinel 6 Michael Freilich ocean monitoring satellite is scheduled to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in central California on Saturday, November 21, 2020.

With global sea level rising because of climate change, Copernicus Sentinel-6 is the next radar altimetry reference mission to extend the legacy of sea-surface height measurements until at least 2030. Sentinel-6 data will contribute to improved knowledge and understanding of the role of the ocean in climate change and for mitigation and adaptation policies in coastal areas.

Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission was developed by ESA (European Space Agency) in the context of the EU Copernicus program led by the European Commission, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), NASA, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with funding support from the European Commission and technical support from France's National Centre for Space Studies (CNES).

Sentinel-6 will be the 8th Sentinel satellite of the Copernicus Earth observation constellation.

Watch the live launch event on NASA TV on Saturday, November 21 at 11.45am EST. EU Ambassador to the United States Stavros Lambrinidis is expected to join the live program at 12.45pm EST.