The Sentinel-2A satellite of the European Space Agency (ESA) released its first batch of photos featuring the Earth in its most vivid colors. The colored vision it provided is said to contribute to the Copernicus environmental monitoring programme of the agency. Image acquisition was initiated in Sweden after which, the satellite performed a band of observation across central Europe and the Mediterranean and finally ended in Algeria.
Central and northern Europe was cloudy at the time of the observation. However, the team was able to get an insight of the device's capabilities when they captured sunny Italy so clearly, particularly the northwestern region of the country including the French Riviera. The team specifically obtained colored photographs of Milan structures and buildings, agricultural beds in the Po River and ports located along the southern part of the French coast, using a ground resolution of 10 m per pixel. The data were submitted to Italy's Matera ground station in real time, where the staff excitedly anticipated the arrival of the photos so they can process it immediately.
"This new satellite will be a game changer in Earth observation for Europe and for the European Copernicus programme," says Philippe Brunet, Director for Space Policy, Copernicus and Defence at the European Commission.
The colored photographs do not only provide a glimpse of the Earth in high resolution, but can also help to prefigure the outcomes of the mission's applications that aim to perform land monitoring in the agricultural, land-cover mapping and coastal and inland water sectors. With the instrument's 13 spectral bands, land monitoring has surely reached new heights. According to the ESA, Sentinel-2 is the first optical observatory mission of the Earth that consists of three bands in the "red edge," which is a vital tool in the accurate identification of vegetation statuses.
Sentinel-2A was launched from the Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on June 23, 2015. The Copernicus program is a collaboration between the ESA and the European Commission, which acts as the mission head. The program aims to yield valuable information that is correct, time-sensitive and conveniently available for the improved management of the environment. The Copernicus is also looking at the possibility of comprehending and alleviating the consequences of climate change, as well as establishing security, emergency control and land observation.
Sentinel-2A came next to the Sentinel-1A radar satellite, also from the Copernicus program. Sentinel-2B, its twin satellite, will be launched in 2016.
