NASA's ocean-observing Sentinel satellite launched

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United Press International
Falcon 9 rocket launches NASA's ocean-observing satellite into space
Darryl Coote
Mon, November 17, 2025 at 1:22 AM EST
2 min read





Nov. 17 (UPI) -- A Falcon 9 rocket topped with an ocean-observing satellite launched into space Sunday night from California's central coast.

The SpaceX rocket launched at 9:21 p.m. PST from Space Launch Complex 4 East at California's Vandenberg Space Force Base.

The launch was broadcast live by NASA on its social media accounts and YouTube.

"Liftoff!" SpaceX said on X shortly after the rocket left the launch pad, posting a video clip of the moment online.

Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/fdINt0z4DY— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 17, 2025

The first-stage booster, on its third flight, returned to Earth where it landed in Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg Space Force Base about 9 minutes, 30 seconds into the flight.

The mission is to put Sentinel-6B, an Earth observation satellite, into space. The satellite separated from the second stage of the rocket at about 57 minutes after launch. It is expected to be operational in the next couple of days.

The orbiter, according to NASA, will utilize a radar altimeter to bounce signals off the ocean's surface to deliver continuity of ocean topography measurements.

NASA said it will map about 90% of Earth's ice-free oceans every 10 days and will extend a continuous dataset to almost 40 years.

Developed by NASA with its U.S. and European partners, Sentinel-6B "will observe the ocean and measure sea level rise to provide insights into our home planet that will improve weather forecasts and flood predictions, safeguard public safety and protect coastal infrastructure," NASA said in a release.

In December 2022, SpaceX had been awarded a firm fixed price contract valued at about $94 million to provide launch and other related services.

The launch is also the second of two satellites in the Sentinel project, with the first orbiter, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, or Sentinel-6A, being put into space on Nov. 21, 2020.

NASA said Sentinel-6B will also extend the record of atmospheric temperatures begun by Sentinel-6A out to a decade.

The Sentinel missions are a U.S.-European collaboration.

This new satellite will measure sea levels for almost all of Earth's ocean

Sentinel-6B adds to a sea level data record spanning over 30 years-information that helps improve weather forecasts, keep ships safe, and ensure astronauts splash down safely. https://t.co/kGBBCQoKeM pic.twitter.com/Nqq0KsZ7tu— NASA (@NASA) November 14, 2025

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/falcon-9-rocket-launches-nasas-062226308.html