Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ‘Go’ For Launch, Prelaunch News Conference at 2 p.m. PST (5 p.m. EST)

The Sentinel-6 satellite in the SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing.
An animated image of the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite in the SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing at the launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Photo credit: NASA

Launch and mission managers have completed the Launch Readiness Review for the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich mission. At the conclusion of the review, NASA’s Launch Services Program, SpaceX, the European Space Agency (ESA), and NOAA agreed to target the launch for 9:17 PST (12:17 p.m. EST) on Saturday, Nov. 21, from Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Currently, the 30th Space Wing weather forecast is 80% “go” for launch, with a 20% chance of violating weather constraints. The primary concern is ground winds of 20 knots at the time of launch.

A prelaunch news conference will be held at 2 p.m. PST (5 p.m. EST), live on NASA Television and the agency’s website. Participants are:

  • Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for Science Mission Directorate, NASA HQ
  • Johann-Dietrich Worner, Director-General, European Space Agency
  • Pierrik Vuilleumier, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich project manager, ESA
  • Parag Vaze, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich project manager, JPL
  • Tim Dunn, NASA Launch Director, Launch Services Program, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
  • Julianna Scheiman, program manager, NASA Launch Services, SpaceX
  • Anthony Mastalir, commander, 30th Space Wing and Western Launch and Test Range
  • John Ott, weather officer, 30th Space Wing

NASA TV launch coverage will begin at 8:45 a.m. PST (11:45 a.m. EST) on Nov. 21. You can follow the countdown milestones here on the blog and on NASA Television.

Stay connected with the mission on social media, and let people know you’re following it on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtag #SeeingTheSeas and tag these accounts:

Twitter: @NASA@NASAEarth@NASA_JPL@NASASocial@ESA@ESA_EO@EU_Commission@NOAA@CNES@Eumetsat@CopernicusEU@defis_eu  @SpaceX@NASA_LSP@NASA36030thSpaceWing
Facebook: NASANASA JPLNASA EarthNASA LSP30thSpaceWing
Instagram: NASANASAJPLNASAEarthVandenberg_AFB

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich Launch Readiness Review, Televised Briefings on Tap Today

The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich mission patch Today, launch and mission managers are holding the final major review, called the Launch Readiness Review, for the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich mission that will launch from Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Launch is targeted for 9:17 a.m. PST (12:17 p.m. EST) on Saturday, Nov. 21.

Coming up today at 12:30 p.m. PST (3:30 p.m. EST) is a science briefing, live on NASA Television and the agency’s website. Participants are:

  • Karen St. Germain, director, NASA Earth Science Division, NASA HQ
  • Josh Willis, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich project scientist, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) (remote)
  • Craig Donlon, Sentinel-6 mission scientist, European Space Agency (remote)
  • Remko Scharroo, programme scientist for Sentinel-6 EUMESTAT (remote)
  • Deirdre Byrne, oceanographer, NOAA (remote)
  • Luanne Thompson, Walters Professor of Oceanography, University of Washington (remote)

A prelaunch news conference will be held today at 2 p.m. PST (5 p.m. EST), live on NASA Television and the agency’s website. Participants are:

  • Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for Science Mission Directorate, NASA HQ
  • Johann-Dietrich Worner, Director-General, European Space Agency
  • Pierrik Vuilleumier, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich project manager, European Space Agency
  • Parag Vaze, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich project manager, JPL
  • Tim Dunn, NASA Launch Director, Launch Services Program, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center
  • Julianna Scheiman, program manager, NASA Launch Services, SpaceX
  • Anthony Mastalir, commander, 30th Space Wing and Western Launch and Test Range
  • John Ott, weather officer, 30th Space Wing

NASA TV launch coverage will begin at 8:45 a.m. PST (11:45 a.m. EST) on Nov. 21.

Follow along with launch activities and get more information about the mission at: https://www.nasa.gov/sentinel-6.

Learn more about NASA’s Launch Services Program at: https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/index.html.

Stay connected with the mission on social media, and let people know you’re following it on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using the hashtag #SeeingTheSeas and tag these accounts:

Twitter: @NASA@NASAEarth@NASA_JPL@NASASocial@ESA@ESA_EO@EU_Commission@NOAA@CNES@Eumetsat@CopernicusEU@defis_eu  @SpaceX@NASA_LSP@NASA36030thSpaceWing
Facebook: NASANASA JPLNASA EarthNASA LSP30thSpaceWing
Instagram: NASANASAJPLNASAEarthVandenberg_AFB

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ‘Go’ to Proceed Toward Nov. 21 Launch

The Sentinel-6 satellite in the SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing.
The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite is in the SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing at the launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Photo credit: NASA, JPL
The Sentinel-6 satellite is encapsulated in the SpaceX Falcon 9 payload fairing.
The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite is encapsulated in the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket’s payload fairing on Nov. 3, 2020, inside SpaceX’s Payload Processing Facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin

The Flight Readiness Review (FRR) for the U.S.-European Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ocean-monitoring satellite has concluded, and teams are proceeding toward a planned liftoff aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 9:17 a.m. PST (12:17 p.m. EST) on Saturday, Nov. 21, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. 

This mission is an international collaboration between NASA and several partners. It is the first of two identical satellites to be launched this year and in 2025 to continue observations of sea level change for at least the next decade.

Live launch coverage will begin at 8:45 a.m. PST (11:45 a.m. EST), on NASA Television and the agency’s website, with prelaunch and science briefings the day before on Nov. 20. Click here for ways to follow along with the mission.

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich Launch Update

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich team members from European Space Agency pose with the spacecraft during processing. Launch is scheduled for Nov. 11, 2020 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. NASA’s Launch Services Program based at Kennedy Space Center is responsible for launch management.
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich team members from European Space Agency pose with the spacecraft during processing.

Editor’s Note: Updated on Nov. 4, 2020, to show a launch time of 12:17 p.m. EST (9:17 a.m. PST).

NASA and SpaceX now are targeting Saturday, Nov. 21, at 12:17 p.m. EST (9:17 a.m. PST) for the launch of the U.S.-European Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich ocean-monitoring satellite on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The additional time allowed SpaceX to complete Falcon 9 Merlin engine testing and inspections following an on-pad abort during a non-NASA mission.

After completing engine testing and inspections, teams from NASA and SpaceX have determined that two engines on the Sentinel-6 rocket’s first stage would need to be replaced to ensure optimal performance during launch. Work is now progressing to implement the engine change and all engine hardware replacements will finish next week.

NASA’s Launch Services Program, SpaceX, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the European Space Agency continue the diligent work of preparing both the spacecraft and rocket as the launch campaign moves forward.

NASA and SpaceX continue to target Saturday, Nov. 14, for the launch of the agency’s Crew-1 mission to the International Space Station.