Counting down towards the launch of TROPOMI

We are all excited and looking forward to the future (and hopefully very soon) launch of TROPOMI satellite sensor! We are even now counting down the remaining days at KNMI and GRS – TU Delft towards end of September 2017 (current window launch).

TROPOMI will be an operational low Earth-orbiting satellite as part of the Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor (Sentinel-5P) mission. Dedicated to the composition of the atmosphere, it will deliver information to monitor air quality (NO2 – Nitrogen dioxide, SO2, HCHO), O3 – ozone and will also be used for climate variables monitoring (CH4 – Methane), and support European policy-making. Aerosol particles will be also observed.

As mentioned on the ESA website, the Sentinel-5P mission will be the first of a series of atmospheric chemistry missions to be launched within the European Commission’s Copernicus programme. With the current launch window of September 2017 and a nominal lifetime of 7 years, Sentinel-5P will bridge the gap between the past SCIAMACHY (on-board Envisat), the current OMI (NASA Aura) and the future Sentinel-4 and -5 missions. It will then ensure the continuity of global atmospheric data products.

Data from Sentinel-5P will be unique thanks to its enhanced spatial (for instance, 3.5 x 7 km) and temporal (global coverage within 1 day) resolutions. They will be used by Copernicus Services, namely the Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) or the Climate Change Service (C3S).

A new fluorescence product will be also developed for the first time and give then insight on vegetation activity.

Stay then tuned and count down with us towards TROPOMI launch day!

More information on:

• Great expectations from Sentinel-5 Precursor from ESA here

• Counting down towards the launch of the TROPOMI satellite (DD.HH.MM.SS) linkedin post from Jos de Laat here
• TROPOMI website here
• Webpage on NO2 – Nitrogen dioxide
• Webpage on Aerosol particles
• Webpage on CH4 – Methane