Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich (Meet the Satellite)

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich is a radar altimeter satellite developed in partnership between the European Space Agency (ESA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). It is part of the Jason satellite series and is named after Michael Freilich, the former director of NASA's Earth Science Division.

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich was launched on November 21, 2020, and is currently in orbit about 1,336 kilometers (830 miles) above Earth. The satellite's primary mission is to measure sea level change, which is a key indicator of climate change. Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich will do this by using a radar altimeter to measure the height of the ocean surface.

The satellite also has a secondary mission to measure temperature and humidity in the troposphere, the atmospheric layer in which we live. The satellites will also look at the stratosphere, the layer right above the troposphere.

Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich is expected to operate for 5.5 years. It will be followed by Sentinel-6B, which is scheduled to launch in 2025. The two satellites will ensure the continuation of a decades-long record of sea level observations out to 2030.