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SpaceX launches Sentinel-6B live from Vandenberg at 2:21 am in Brazil (94 characters)
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket takes off this Monday (17) at 2:21 am (Brasília time) from the Vandenberg base in California, carrying the Sentinel-6B satellite.
The local launch time is 9:21 pm on Sunday (16), in the Pacific time zone.
The broadcast takes place live by NASA and SpaceX on their official X accounts.
The European-American satellite is part of the Copernicus program and will replace Sentinel-6A to maintain the series of sea level measurements started more than 30 years ago.
Launch times
The liftoff is scheduled for 2:21 am in Brazil, corresponding to 9:21 pm in California and 5:21 am in UTC time.
Teams fromNASA and SpaceX confirmed the instantaneous launch window, with no room for significant delays.
Real-time streaming
Live coverage began at 0:30 am (Brasília time) on NASA channels.
SpaceX takes over streaming minutes before takeoff, with direct images from the Vandenberg base.
- Comments in English include experts from NASA, ESA and NOAA.
- Images show the rocket on the SLC-4E platform.
- Updates occur in real time on @NASA and @SpaceX accounts on X.
Initial trajectory
The first stage separates approximately two and a half minutes after ignition.
It returns and lands at the Vandenberg base landing zone approximately eight minutes later.
The second stage continues until the satellite is released into polar orbit at an altitude of 1,336 km.
Onboard instruments
The Sentinel-6B carries the Poseidon-4 radar altimeter, which measures theheight of the oceans with centimeter precision.
An advanced radiometer corrects atmospheric interference in readings.
The equipment replicates that of the Sentinel-6A, launched in 2020, to guarantee data continuity.
Quest Objectives
The satellite collects information about sea rise in more than 90% of the global ocean surface.
These records help track the impact of climate warming on the oceans.
The data supports weather forecasts, shipping routes and protection of coastal areas.
Collaboration involved
Agencies such as ESA, NASA, Eumetsat and NOAA develop the project together.
The Sentinel-6 program costs more than 1 billion euros and includes two twin satellites.
The joint operation extends the monitoring begun in 1992 with previous missions.
Starting in the coming weeks, Sentinel-6B will undergo in-orbit testing before entering full service in 2026.
