Ariane 6 launch zone with Sentinel-1D

With liftoff on 4 November 2025 at 22:02 CET (18:02 local time), this photo shows Sentinel-1D ready on top of the Ariane 6 rocket on the launchpad at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana a few hours before liftoff.

The launch zone is built by France’s space agency CNES, the launch complex at the Ariane 6 launch zone is called ELA4. The main contractor for the immense engineering and development for the launch pad and infrastructure is French company Group Eiffage, that has its roots in building the famous Eiffel tower in Paris.

Together with its sibling Sentinel-1C, Sentinel-1D will significantly enhance the capabilities of the Copernicus Earth observation programme.

The Sentinel-1 mission will continue to deliver radar images of Earth’s surface, performing in all weathers, day-and-night, providing a service vital for users who depend on frequent updates of critical data, such as disaster response teams, environmental agencies, maritime authorities and climate scientists.

Ariane 6 is Europe's heavy-lift rocket, this flight is designated VA265.