Copernicus Sentinel-1D Launches Into Orbit - French Guiana

Copernicus Sentinel-1D Launches Into Orbit - French Guiana

Handout photo dated on November 4, 2025 shows Copernicus Sentinel-1D was successfully launched on 4 November 2025 at 22:02 CET (21:02 UTC) aboard an Ariane 6 rocket from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The satellite was released into orbit 34 minutes after launch, and the first signal was received at 23:22 CET by the Troll ground station in Antarctica. At the heart of Copernicus Sentinel-1 is the C-SAR (C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar) instrument, operating at 5.405 GHz. It provides high-resolution imaging of the Earth's surface regardless of weather conditions, day or night. The radar supports four operational modes: Strip Map (5 × 5 m resolution, 80 km swath), Interferometric Wide Swath (5 × 20 m resolution, 250 km swath), Extra Wide Swath (20 × 40 m resolution, 400 km swath), and Wave mode for ocean monitoring. A key feature of Sentinel-1D, also present on Sentinel-1C, is the integration of the Automatic Identification System (AIS), which enables detection and tracking of ship signals in c

Ariane 6 Maiden Flight Expected By Summer

Ariane 6 Maiden Flight Expected By Summer

Handout photo dated February 21, 2024 shows Canopee cargo ship in Kourou, French Guiana. Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket will stage an inaugural flight between June 15 and July 31 in 2024. The keenly awaited window for the first test flight came after a test model of the new rocket passed a key long-firing engine test in French Guiana. ESA nations agreed in 2014 to develop Ariane 6 in response to growing competition in the commercial launch market but its arrival, originally due in 2020, has been repeatedly delayed. The maiden flight will carry some smaller satellites, including two from NASA. Photo by Ariane Group via ABACAPRESS.COM

Ariane 6 Maiden Flight Expected By Summer

Ariane 6 Maiden Flight Expected By Summer

Handout photo dated February 21, 2024 shows Canopee cargo ship in Kourou, French Guiana. Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket will stage an inaugural flight between June 15 and July 31 in 2024. The keenly awaited window for the first test flight came after a test model of the new rocket passed a key long-firing engine test in French Guiana. ESA nations agreed in 2014 to develop Ariane 6 in response to growing competition in the commercial launch market but its arrival, originally due in 2020, has been repeatedly delayed. The maiden flight will carry some smaller satellites, including two from NASA. Photo by Ariane Group via ABACAPRESS.COM

Ariane 6 Maiden Flight Expected By Summer

Ariane 6 Maiden Flight Expected By Summer

Handout photo dated February 21, 2024 shows Canopee cargo ship in Kourou, French Guiana. Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket will stage an inaugural flight between June 15 and July 31 in 2024. The keenly awaited window for the first test flight came after a test model of the new rocket passed a key long-firing engine test in French Guiana. ESA nations agreed in 2014 to develop Ariane 6 in response to growing competition in the commercial launch market but its arrival, originally due in 2020, has been repeatedly delayed. The maiden flight will carry some smaller satellites, including two from NASA. Photo by Ariane Group via ABACAPRESS.COM

Ariane 6 Maiden Flight Expected By Summer

Ariane 6 Maiden Flight Expected By Summer

Handout photo dated February 21, 2024 shows Canopee cargo ship in Kourou, French Guiana. Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket will stage an inaugural flight between June 15 and July 31 in 2024. The keenly awaited window for the first test flight came after a test model of the new rocket passed a key long-firing engine test in French Guiana. ESA nations agreed in 2014 to develop Ariane 6 in response to growing competition in the commercial launch market but its arrival, originally due in 2020, has been repeatedly delayed. The maiden flight will carry some smaller satellites, including two from NASA. Photo by Ariane Group via ABACAPRESS.COM

Ariane 6 Maiden Flight Expected By Summer

Ariane 6 Maiden Flight Expected By Summer

Handout photo dated February 21, 2024 shows Canopee cargo ship in Kourou, French Guiana. Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket will stage an inaugural flight between June 15 and July 31 in 2024. The keenly awaited window for the first test flight came after a test model of the new rocket passed a key long-firing engine test in French Guiana. ESA nations agreed in 2014 to develop Ariane 6 in response to growing competition in the commercial launch market but its arrival, originally due in 2020, has been repeatedly delayed. The maiden flight will carry some smaller satellites, including two from NASA. Photo by Ariane Group via ABACAPRESS.COM

Launch Of The Last Flight Of The Ariane 5 Rocket - Guyana

Launch Of The Last Flight Of The Ariane 5 Rocket - Guyana

Launch of Ariane 5 for its last launch for its last mission from the Guyana space center, Kourou, on July 5, 2023. The Ariane 5 space launcher carried a French military communications satellite (Syracuse 4B) and a German experimental satellite. Ariane 5 will be replaced by Ariane 6. Photo by Roger P/ANDBZ/ABACAPRESS.COM

Launch Of The Last Flight Of The Ariane 5 Rocket - Guyana

Launch Of The Last Flight Of The Ariane 5 Rocket - Guyana

Launch of Ariane 5 for its last launch for its last mission from the Guyana space center, Kourou, on July 5, 2023. The Ariane 5 space launcher carried a French military communications satellite (Syracuse 4B) and a German experimental satellite. Ariane 5 will be replaced by Ariane 6. Photo by Roger P/ANDBZ/ABACAPRESS.COM

Launch Of The Last Flight Of The Ariane 5 Rocket - Guyana

Launch Of The Last Flight Of The Ariane 5 Rocket - Guyana

Launch of Ariane 5 for its last launch for its last mission from the Guyana space center, Kourou, on July 5, 2023. The Ariane 5 space launcher carried a French military communications satellite (Syracuse 4B) and a German experimental satellite. Ariane 5 will be replaced by Ariane 6. Photo by Roger P/ANDBZ/ABACAPRESS.COM

Launch Of The Last Flight Of The Ariane 5 Rocket - Guyana

Launch Of The Last Flight Of The Ariane 5 Rocket - Guyana

Launch of Ariane 5 for its last launch for its last mission from the Guyana space center, Kourou, on July 5, 2023. The Ariane 5 space launcher carried a French military communications satellite (Syracuse 4B) and a German experimental satellite. Ariane 5 will be replaced by Ariane 6. Photo by Roger P/ANDBZ/ABACAPRESS.COM

Launch Of The Last Flight Of The Ariane 5 Rocket - Guyana

Launch Of The Last Flight Of The Ariane 5 Rocket - Guyana

Launch of Ariane 5 for its last launch for its last mission from the Guyana space center, Kourou, on July 5, 2023. The Ariane 5 space launcher carried a French military communications satellite (Syracuse 4B) and a German experimental satellite. Ariane 5 will be replaced by Ariane 6. Photo by Roger P/ANDBZ/ABACAPRESS.COM

Ariane rocket launched for journey to Mercury

Ariane rocket launched for journey to Mercury

Final preparations are under way at the Kourou space center in French Guiana on Oct. 18, 2018, for the launch of an Ariane 5 rocket carrying two robotic explorers on a seven-year journey to Mercury. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Ariane rocket launched for journey to Mercury

Ariane rocket launched for journey to Mercury

An Ariane 5 rocket carrying two robotic explorers is launched from the Kourou space center in French Guiana on Oct. 19, 2018, for a seven-year journey to Mercury. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Ariane rocket launched for journey to Mercury

Ariane rocket launched for journey to Mercury

An Ariane 5 rocket carrying two robotic explorers is launched from the Kourou space center in French Guiana on Oct. 19, 2018, for a seven-year journey to Mercury. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japanese-European space mission to Mercury

Japanese-European space mission to Mercury

An Ariane-5 rocket is set for launch at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou in French Guiana, South America, on Oct. 18, 2018. The rocket, to be launched the following day, will carry two probes of a Japanese-European joint mission to Mercury. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japanese-European space mission to Mercury

Japanese-European space mission to Mercury

An Ariane-5 rocket is transported to its launch site at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou in French Guiana, South America, on Oct. 18, 2018. The rocket, to be launched the following day, will carry two probes of a Japanese-European joint mission to Mercury. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japanese-European space mission to Mercury

Japanese-European space mission to Mercury

Photo taken Oct. 18, 2018, shows an Ariane-5 rocket at the Guiana Space Center in Kourou in French Guiana, South America. The rocket, to be launched the following day, will carry two probes of a Japanese-European joint mission to Mercury. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo