![](\"http:\/\/www.esa.int\/var\/esa\/storage\/images\/esa_multimedia\/images\/2016\/02\/sentinel-3a_launch_team_at_esoc\/15820194-1-eng-GB\/Sentinel-3A_launch_team_at_ESOC_small.jpg\")
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\nSentinel-3A, the third ESA-developed Copernicus satellite carrying four Earth-observing instruments, was launched on 16 February 2016, and will provide a \u2018bigger picture\u2019 for Europe\u2019s Copernicus environmental monitoring programme.\n<\/p>\n
\nThe 1150 kg satellite was carried into orbit on a Rockot launcher from Plesetsk, Russia, at 17:57 GMT (18:57 CET; 20:57 local time). The first signals were received from space after 92 min via ESA\u2019s Kiruna ground station<\/a> in Sweden. Telemetry links and attitude control were immediately established by teams at ESA\u2019s ESOC operations centre in Darmstadt, Germany, allowing them to monitor the health of the satellite and take over control of the mission.\n<\/p>\n \nThis \u2018team of teams\u2019 involves some 50 engineers and scientists at ESOC, including spacecraft engineers, specialists working on tracking stations and the sophisticated \u2018ground segment\u2019 \u2013 the hardware and software used to control the satellite and distribute its data \u2013 and experts working in flight dynamics, software and networks, as well as simulation and training teams.\n<\/p>\n \nRepresentatives from ESA\u2019s Sentinel project team, as well as several operations engineers integrated within the Flight Control Team and shared with Eumetsat, the European organisation for the exploitation of meteorological satellites, are also working to ensure the success of this crucial mission.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \nSentinel-3A, the third ESA-developed Copernicus satellite carrying four Earth-observing instruments, was launched on 16 February 2016, and will provide a ‘bigger picture’ for Europe’s Copernicus environmental monitoring programme.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n