Sentinel-6B Satellite Moves into Payload Processing Phase

The Sentinel-6B spacecraft recently made a crucial transition in its prelaunch journey when technicians transferred the spacecraft from the NASA hangar to the Astrotech Space Operations payload processing facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, on Sept. 24. After the move, technicians removed the satellite from its transport container and began processing activities.

At the Astrotech facility, Sentinel-6B will undergo detailed inspections and tests, including calibrations, functional tests, solar array checks, and fueling in a clean room designed to keep it free from contamination. This processing phase is essential to verify that every system meets the rigorous standards required for the mission — measuring global sea level, ocean state, and monitoring atmospheric temperatures with extraordinary precision. Sentinel-6B will extend the gold-standard sea level record into its fourth decade, building on the legacy of its twin, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich and Jason-series satellite missions pioneered by NASA. Every milestone is a step closer to extending our view of Earth’s changing seas.

NASA is targeting launch no earlier than November on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

NASA, working in partnership with ESA (European Space Agency), EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and CNES (Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales), is working to ensure that Sentinel-6B achieves its mission to provide vital data for Earth science, storm forecasting, coastal planning, and more to benefit people around the globe.

Learn more about the mission at:

https://science.nasa.gov/mission/sentinel-6b/