ESA - Sentinel-3

ESA title

The mission

Carrying a suite of cutting-edge instruments, Copernicus Sentinel-3 measures systematically Earth’s oceans, land, ice and atmosphere to monitor and understand large-scale global dynamics. It provides essential information in near-real time for ocean and weather forecasting.

The launch

Date: Sentinel-3A on 16 February 2016
Sentinel-3B on 25 April 2018
Sentinel-3C on 15 September 2026
Site: Sentinel-3A and -B from Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia
Sentinel-3C from Europe's Spaceport, French Guiana
Launcher: Sentinel-3A and -B on Rockot
Sentinel-3C on Vega-C

4 instruments
7 years mission life
815 km orbit altitude

Sentinel-3

Smoke plume from Greek wildfires seen by Sentinel-3

How Sentinel-3 tracks climate change

04/09/2026 442 views 13 likes

FLEX and Sentinel-3C being sealed from view

FLEX and Sentinel-3C sealed within Vega-C fairing

02/09/2026 1055 views 29 likes

Press Release N° 44–2026

Media invitation: FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C online media briefings

Media representatives are invited to join online media briefings in several languages ahead of the launch of the FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C satellites on a Vega-C rocket (flight VV30).

28/08/2026 716 views

Two contrasting views of the countryside around the Serbian capital, Belgrade, captured on 8 August 2026.

Sentinel-3 provides faster data for Europe fires

18/08/2026 1171 views 12 likes

Press Release N° 35–2026

Call for interest: media programme for FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C launch at Europe’s Spaceport

Media representatives are invited to express their interest in attending the media programme at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana for the launch of the FLEX and Copernicus Sentinel-3C satellites on a Vega-C rocket (flight VV30). Liftoff is expected to take place on 14 September 2026 (22:21 local time, 03.21 CEST on 15 September).

20/07/2026 1353 views

FLEX and Sentinel-3 head to launch site

FLEX and Sentinel-3C arrive at Europe’s Spaceport

16/07/2026 1974 views 41 likes

El Niño 2026 begins

Pacific warming signals El Niño has stirred

15/06/2026 14054 views 60 likes

Press Release N° 13–2026

Media invitation: three innovative European weather and climate satellites in the cleanroom

Journalists are invited to a one-off opportunity to see three ESA-built satellites in their final preparations before liftoff.

11/03/2026 1553 views

More items

Applications
Image gallery
Open
Applications
Video gallery
Open
Applications
Sentinel-3 mission kit
Open
Applications
Documents and publications
Open

Discover Sentinel-3

Introducing the Sentinel-3 mission

26518 views 57 likes

Feeling the heat

Over land

7277 views 15 likes

Revealing the colour of ocean life

Oceans of change

7863 views 23 likes

Facts and figures

22367 views 28 likes

Sentinel-3A in the cleanroom

Satellite constellation

9091 views 20 likes

Instruments

19271 views 42 likes

About the launch

7039 views 11 likes

Kiruna station

Data flow

6348 views 18 likes

Extreme heatwave

Data products

15470 views 21 likes

Sentinel-3 mission kit front cover

Sentinel-3 mission kit

Follow us

Subscribe @esa_earth ESA Earth Observation @esaearth.esa.int @ESA_EO

Recommended

Observing the Earth

Observing the Earth

Copernicus

Copernicus

Sentinel missions

Sentinel data access

Copernicus logo_no tagline

Eumetsat