Neustrelitz receives Sentinel-1C data
The European Copernicus satellite Sentinel 1-C launched in December 2024 is now in its commissioning phase. In this phase the satellite's instruments are being activated and tested. The DLR Neustrelitz ground station is already at this early stage receiving data from the new satellite and making them available to ESA.
For four years this ground station has been part of the core ground segment of the European Space Agency ESA. This segment assures that all Sentinel data are systematically received and distributed.
Exactly 10 years ago, data from the first satellite of this mission, the twin satellite Sentinel-1A, could for the first time be received in Neustrelitz. Now, punctually on the date of that anniversary, data from Sentinel-1C, which replaces its non-operational 1B predecessor, are being collected.
Prior to the ESA mandate, data were originally received as part of a collaborative ground segment. This was one of the first collaborative ground segments worldwide for direct data reception. It continues to be operated by DLR. A collaborative ground segment allows national bodies like DLR to receive data operationally for their own projects, without detours. Among other purposes, the data received in Neustrelitz are used by DLR maritime research facilities in Neustrelitz and Bremen to automatically detect oil pollution and ships, and to derive information on wind, wave action and sea ice conditions. The immediate availability of such data in near real-time is decisive in such cases.
