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A European satellite built to carry out precise measurements of sea level changes has arrived in California in preparation for launch. The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite<\/a> forms part of the European Union\u2019s Copernicus Earth Observation programme and will employ radar to map sea surface topography.\u00a0<\/p>\n The mission will be used to monitor the height of the sea surface to understand long-term change. It will also measure wave height and wind speed. The satellite will provide fundamental data for climate science, policy-making and protecting the 600 million people who live in vulnerable coastal areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n Data are provided to Copernicus services in near-real time to improve marine and weather forecasts used by maritime and coastal communities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The mission is a collaboration between ESA, the European Commission, EUMETSAT, NASA and NOAA, with support from the French Space Agency CNES.\u00a0<\/p>\n It is named Michael Freilich after NASA\u2019s former Director of Earth Science and is scheduled for launch on 10 November on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg Air Force Base.\u00a0<\/p>\n This A-roll contains Copernicus Sentinel-2 images of the Maldives, new in-orbit animations and clean-room footage from testing in Germany.<\/p>\n