https://spacewatch.global/tag/simonetta-cheli/ AN INDEPENDENT PERSPECTIVE ON SPACE Tue, 05 May 2026 06:54:52 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://spacewatch.global/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/SpaceWatchGlobal-Sign-90x90.png https://spacewatch.global/tag/simonetta-cheli/ 32 32 https://spacewatch.global/2026/05/greece-and-ororatech-launch-the-hellenic-fire-system-the-worlds-first-national-wildfire-satellite-system/ Tue, 05 May 2026 06:54:50 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=73570 OroraTech has launched and deployed the Hellenic Fire System, four dedicated wildfire monitoring satellites for Greece, marking the world’s first national satellite system designed exclusively for wildfire detection and tracking. The satellites were launched with SpaceX via Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2026/02/amsterdam-space-symposium-sets-urgent-action-agenda-on-security-defense-and-climate/ Fri, 06 Feb 2026 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=71005 The Amsterdam Space Symposium is taking place on 3-4 March, 2026 at the Beurs van Berlage, convening 750 delegates and 50+ speakers from government, defense, industry and the climate and security policy community to discuss themes involving Space for Security & Defense and Space for Climate. The symposium will follow an Inspire • Explore • Act format, connecting strategic debate with practical collaboration across the global space ecosystem and adjacent sectors. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/12/the-copernicus-sentinel-6b-satellite-returns-first-data-images-after-launching-last-month/ Wed, 17 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=69858 Copernicus Sentinel-6B, launched last month, has reached its orbit and delivered its first set of data, which show variations in sea level in the North Atlantic Ocean. This data underlines how the mission will continue to strengthen the long-term reference record of sea levels, a key parameter of climate change. The image is a combination of altimeter data from both the Sentinel-6 sea-level tracking satellites: Sentinel-6B and its twin, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, which was launched in 2020. The image shows the Gulf Stream current in the North Atlantic Ocean, off the eastern coasts of the US and Canada.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/12/spacexs-transporter-15-mission-launches-over-140-payloads-including-iceye-ohb-italia-and-c3ss/ Mon, 01 Dec 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=69367 SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched the Transporter-15 mission to sun-synchronous orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Friday, 28 November. On board this mission were 140 payloads, including cubesats, microsats, hosted payloads, and orbital transfer vehicles carrying 13 of those payloads. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/11/sentinel-1-d-satellite-delivers-first-light-images-less-than-a-month-after-launch/ Thu, 27 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=69280 The first high-resolution images have been received from the Copernicus Sentinel-1D spacecraft. Glaciers in Antarctica, the tip of South America, as well as the city of Bremen, are visible in the radar images. Copernicus Sentinel-1D joined the Sentinel-1 constellation mission in orbit after launching aboard Ariane 6, on 4 November 2025 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The satellite joined its twin, Sentinel-1C, replacing Sentinel-1A in the Sentinel 1 mission.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/11/esa-and-norway-sign-letter-of-intent-to-explore-the-possibility-of-an-arctic-space-center/ Thu, 27 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=69284 ESA has signed a letter of intent with Norway to advance the prospect of a new ESA Arctic Space Center in Tromsø. ESA and the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA) will now form a joint working group for experts to examine the possibilities for the Center. Subject to the development of its operational scope, the ESA Arctic Space Center may work particularly around Earth observation, navigation and telecommunications and closely with stakeholders across the Arctic region. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/11/the-copernicus-sentinel-6b-satellite-has-launched-to-continue-monitoring-earths-sea-levels/ Mon, 17 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=69031 The Copernicus Sentinel-6B satellite is circling Earth, ready to continue a decades-long mission to track the height of the planet’s seas, after launching earlier today, 17 November, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/11/ariane-6-launches-the-last-of-the-copernicus-sentinel-mission-satellites-sentinel-1d/ Wed, 05 Nov 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=68787 The Copernicus Sentinel-1D satellite has joined the Sentinel-1 constellation mission in orbit after launching aboard Ariane 6, yesterday, 4 November 2025 from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Ariane 6 placed the satellite in its orbit 34 minutes after launch, with mission operators receiving signal from the satellite soon after. Sentinel-1D has subsequently joined its twin, Sentinel-1C and will replace Sentinel-1A, which has been in service for more than 11 years, upon its full commissioning.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/10/aschbacher-presents-european-resilience-from-space-program-in-brussels/ Thu, 30 Oct 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=68656 ESA DG Josef Aschbacher has presented the European Resilience from Space program, a new optional program that will be open for subscriptions from Member States at November's ESA Ministerial Council. Aschbacher made the announcement during the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI)-organized Space for European Resilience conference in Brussels.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/10/sentinel-4-offers-first-glimpses-of-air-pollutants-after-launching-in-july/ Thu, 23 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=68498 The Sentinel-4 mission has delivered its first images, highlighting concentrations of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and ozone. Despite being preliminary, these images are a major milestone in Europe’s ability to monitor air quality all the way from geostationary orbit. Launched in July 2025, the Sentinel-4 ultraviolet–visible–near-infrared spectrometer is hosted on the first Meteosat Third Generation Sounder satellite. This dual-mission architecture allows for efficient use of the satellite, combining meteorological and atmospheric composition monitoring capabilities on a single platform.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/10/eumetsat-releases-new-metop-sga1-images-taken-by-new-multi-spectral-radiometer-payload/ Thu, 09 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=68253 EUMETSAT has released the first Earth images from its METimage instrument on board the recently launched Metop-SGA1 satellite. These early teasers showcase the exquisite detail, true-to-life color, and data products that will ultimately support European weather services in improving forecasts that save lives, protect communities and benefit economies.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/10/arianespace-to-launch-eus-copernicus-sentinel-1d-satellite-on-november-4-aboard-ariane-6/ Tue, 07 Oct 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=68211 Arianespace will launch the Sentinel-1D satellite on Ariane 6's third commercial mission from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on November 4, 2025. The Sentinel-1D satellite is part of Copernicus, the Earth observation component of the European Union's Space Program. Sentinel-1D will carry advanced radar technology to provide an all-weather, day-and-night supply of imagery of the Earth's surface, delivering data essential to monitoring sea ice, track icebergs and glaciers, subsidence, and oil spills.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/09/esa-selects-wivern-science-mission-as-11th-earth-explorer-mission/ Wed, 24 Sep 2025 06:00:05 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=67925 ESA’s Member States have selected WIVERN to become the 11th Earth Explorer mission to be implemented through the agency’s FutureEO program after a thorough evaluation phase. WIVERN, short for wind velocity radar nephoscope, will provide the first measurements of wind within clouds together with information on the internal structure of clouds, filling a significant gap in the global satellite observing system as a result. It will also deliver profiles of cloud water droplets, rain, snow and ice water.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/09/eumetsats-metop-sga1-satellite-already-transmitting-instrument-data/ Wed, 03 Sep 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=67480 Less than three weeks after Metop-SGA1's launch, the satellite has begun beaming data from two of its six instruments. The data from the Microwave Sounder (MWS) and Radio Occultation Sounder (RO) offer an early peek at the meteorological and climate insight that Metop-SGA1 will deliver.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/08/ariane-6-launches-metop-sga1-satellite-to-polar-orbit/ Wed, 13 Aug 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=67081 Metop-SGA1 carrying the EU’s Copernicus Sentinel-5 mission has successfully lifted off on an Ariane-6 rocket in Kourou, French Guiana. As the first satellite in the EUMETSAT Polar System – Second Generation (EPS-SG) program, the launch marks a major step toward delivering more precise forecasts and earlier warnings to help protect lives and property from extreme weather.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/07/the-space-cafe-podcast-136-with-simonetta-cheli/ Wed, 30 Jul 2025 09:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=66548 This week, Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programs at the European Space Agency (ESA), joins Markus to dive into one of the most ambitious and groundbreaking projects of our time: building a digital twin of our plane]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/07/europe-launches-mtg-s1-and-sentinel-4-to-monitor-earths-atmosphere-from-geo-orbit/ Wed, 02 Jul 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=66065 ESA and its partners have successfully launched the MTG-S1 satellite and Copernicus Sentinel-4 spectrometer on Tuesday, 1 July, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, from Cape Canaveral in Florida, US. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/06/lps-2025-esas-simonetta-cheli-on-biomass-climate-impact-what-made-lps25-unforgettable/ Fri, 27 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=66043 From 35°C Vienna, we step inside the Living Planet Symposium 2025 for an exclusive interview with Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation at the European Space Agency (ESA)—and the woman orchestrating one of the largest Earth science gatherings on the planet.]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/06/satvu-secures-esa-contract-to-power-climate-and-security-intelligence/ Fri, 27 Jun 2025 06:00:00 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=66016 SatVu has won an ESA contract to supply advanced thermal data to the Copernicus Contributing Mission program. Spanning a three-year period, the agreement marks the first Category 1 CCM contract for a UK company and was officially announced at the Living Planet Symposium in Vienna. ]]> https://spacewatch.global/2025/06/biomass-satellite-returns-striking-first-images-of-forests-and-more/ Tue, 24 Jun 2025 06:00:03 +0000 https://spacewatch.global/?p=65950 ESA has shared the first images from its Biomass Earth Explorer mission after the satellite launched aboard a Vega-C rocket back in April. The images feature Bolivia, the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, tropical forest on islands in Indonesia, the Ivindo river in Gabon, Chadian parts of the Sahara Desert, and the Antarctic Transantarctic Mountains.]]>