New Expedition 73 Crew Photos | International Space Station

New Expedition 73 Crew Photos | International Space Station

Four Expedition 73 flight engineers pose for a playful portrait through a circular opening in a hatch thermal cover aboard the International Space Station. The cover provides micrometeoroid and orbital debris protection while maintaining cleanliness and pressure integrity in the vestibule between Northrop Grumman's Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft and the orbital outpost.

Expedition 73 flight engineer and NASA astronaut Zena Cardman is seen here working on the microgravity associated bone loss (MABL) study. It is examining intracellular signaling pathways to determine what therapeutic countermeasures can protect astronaut bone health on future long duration missions to places like the Moon or Mars.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 73 flight engineer Jonny Kim shows off a variety of food items from South Korea and the U.S. during lunchtime aboard the International Space Station's Unity module.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 73 flight engineer Mike Fincke shows off a portion of a hatch seal during maintenance work on the hatch between the Destiny laboratory module and the Harmony module aboard the International Space Station.

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut and Expedition 73 flight engineer Kimiya Yui smiles for a portrait during weekend housecleaning activities inside the International Space Station's Harmony module.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 73 flight engineer Jonny Kim is pictured inside the vestibule between the International Space Station's Unity module and the Cygnus XL cargo spacecraft from Northrop Grumman. Kim was preparing to open Cygnus' hatch to begin unloading about 11,000 pounds of new science and supplies for the Expedition 73 crew.

Four Expedition 73 flight engineers gather together inside the International Space Station's Harmony module and watch NASA's announcement of its 2025 Astronaut Candidate Class from the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. From left, are NASA astronauts Jonny Kim, Zena Cardman, and Mike Fincke, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Kimiya Yui.

Expedition 73 crew emblem

Follow Expedition 73:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 73 Crew

Station Commander: Sergey Ryzhikov (Roscosmos)

JAXA Flight Engineer (Japan): Kimiya Yui

Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Alexey Zubritskiy, Oleg Platonov

NASA Flight Engineers: Jonny Kim, Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

Image Credit: NASA/JSC

Release Date: Nov. 18, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #ISS #Astronauts #MikeFincke #JonnyKim #ZenaCardman # #UnitedStates #Japan #日本 #JAXA #Cosmonauts #Russia #Roscosmos #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition73 #STEM #Education

Orion Crew Spacecraft Integrated into Artemis II Moon Rocket | NASA

Orion Crew Spacecraft Integrated into Artemis II Moon Rocket | NASA

Technicians with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) team use a crane to lift NASA’s Orion spacecraft off a KAMAG transporter to prepare for integration on top of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket in High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, for the agency’s Artemis II mission. 

Orion crew spacecraft integrated into Artemis II Space Launch System (SLS)

"We are loving the view inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida!"

NASA’s Artemis II Orion spacecraft with its launch abort system was recently stacked atop the agency’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket in High Bay 3 of the VAB. This milestone marks a huge step in the mission that will carry four astronauts on a 10-day mission around the Moon and back in early 2026. 

Ahead of rolling out the integrated SLS rocket to the launch pad, teams will be conducting a series of verification tests. 

Artemis II will officially launch "no earlier than April 2026."

Check the NASA Artemis II Mission page for updates:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

Learn more about NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket: nasa.gov/sls

Follow updates on the Artemis blog: 

https://blogs.nasa.gov/artemis/

Image Credit: NASA

Release Date: Nov. 18, 2025

#NASA #Space #Science #Earth #Moon #Artemis #ArtemisII #OrionSpacecraft #SLS #SLSRocket #CrewedMissions #DeepSpace #MoonToMars #Engineering #SpaceTechnology #HumanSpaceflight #SolarSystem #SpaceExploration #NASAKennedy #KSC #LockheedMartin #Florida #UnitedStates #STEM #Education

The Bubble Nebula in Cassiopeia: Winds & Radiation from a Massive Star

The Bubble Nebula in Cassiopeia: Winds & Radiation from a Massive Star

This visualization of the Bubble Nebula begins with a ground-based view of the glowing cloud. The high-energy light from the massive O star, BD +60°2522, is responsible for ionizing the entire region. The virtual camera flies through the foreground stars and approaches the central bubble imaged by Hubble. The massive star continuously sheds some of its outer layers in a mass-loss wind that has blown a bubble of gas seven light-years across. The video's three-dimensional perspective emphasizes the extended nature of the structure and the fact that BD +60°2522 is not located at the center. The pressure inside the bubble is able to expand more rapidly in the directions away from the surrounding nebula. The computer model incorporates scientific and artistic interpretations of the data. Distances are significantly compressed.

Credit: NASA, ESA, and F. Summers, G. Bacon, Z. Levay, and L. Frattare (Viz 3D Team, STScI)
Acknowledgment: T. Rector/University of Alaska Anchorage, H. Schweiker/WIYN and NOAO/AURA/NSF, NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)
Duration: 48 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 16, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Nebulae #BubbleNebula #NGC7635 #Sharpless162 #Caldwell11 #StarSAO20575 #Cassiopeia #Constellations #MilkyWayGalaxy #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #Visualization #HD #Video

The Bahamas | International Space Station

The Bahamas | International Space Station

Expedition 73 Flight Engineer and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Astronaut Kimiya Yui: "Today, the Bahamas islands I passed through after work were so incredibly beautiful that I'd like to share some photos with you! Seeing a beautiful view after working hard makes me feel like I've received a reward from God, and all my fatigue just vanishes."

"Hoping that these beautiful views will heal everyone too!"

The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, is an island country of the Lucayan Archipelago consisting of more than 700 islands, cays, and islets in the Atlantic Ocean; north of Cuba and Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic); northwest of the Turks and Caicos Islands; southeast of the U.S. state of Florida and east of the Florida Keys. Its capital is Nassau on the island of New Providence.

Follow Expedition 73:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 73 Crew

Station Commander: Sergey Ryzhikov (Roscosmos)

JAXA Flight Engineer (Japan): Kimiya Yui

Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Alexey Zubritskiy, Oleg Platonov

NASA Flight Engineers: Jonny Kim, Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

Image Credit: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)/Kimiya Yui

Release Date: Nov. 17, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #ISS #Earth #TheBahamas #AtlanticOcean #Astronauts #AstronautPhotography #KimiyaYui #油井亀美也 #Japan #日本 #JAXA #宇宙航空研究開発機構 #UnitedStates #Cosmonauts #Russia #Roscosmos #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition73 #STEM #Education

North & South America: Views of Aurora and Lightning | International Space Station

North & South America: Views of Aurora and Lightning | International Space Station

Expedition 73 Flight Engineer and NASA Astronaut Zena Cardman: "I’ve still never seen aurora from below, but up here, it’s a frequent show. Last week’s was especially good. See if you can spot Houston, Florida, and the northern lights all in one frame, before we head out across the Gulf and some great lightning storms over South America at sunrise."

Astronaut Zena Cardman Biography:
https://www.nasa.gov/people/zena-cardman/

Follow Expedition 73:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 73 Crew

Station Commander: Sergey Ryzhikov (Roscosmos)

JAXA Flight Engineer (Japan): Kimiya Yui

Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Alexey Zubritskiy, Oleg Platonov

NASA Flight Engineers: Jonny Kim, Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

Image Credit: NASA/JSC/Z. Cardman

Duration: 51 seconds

Release Date: Nov. 17, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #ISS #Earth #Aurora #Canada #UnitedStates #Mexico #SouthAmerica #Astronauts #ZenaCardman #AstronautVideography #UnitedStates #Japan #日本 #JAXA #Cosmonauts #Russia #Roscosmos #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition73 #STEM #Education #HD #Video

NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim: Food & Meal Preparation | International Space Station

NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim: Food & Meal Preparation | International Space Station

Expedition 73 Flight Engineer and NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim: "Nutrition is key to our health, performance, and even morale in space. Here’s how we prepare meals aboard the International Space Station and how our nutritionists on Earth help us stay balanced 250 miles above it."

NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim's Biography:

https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/jonny-kim/

Follow Expedition 73:

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

Expedition 73 Crew

Station Commander: Sergey Ryzhikov (Roscosmos)

JAXA Flight Engineer (Japan): Kimiya Yui

Roscosmos (Russia) Flight Engineers: Alexey Zubritskiy, Oleg Platonov

NASA Flight Engineers: Jonny Kim, Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke

An international partnership of space agencies provides and operates the elements of the International Space Station (ISS). The principals are the space agencies of the United States, Russia, Europe, Japan, and Canada.

Video Credit: NASA/JSC/Jonny Kim

Duration: 7 minutes

Release Date: Nov. 18, 2025

#NASA #Space #Astronomy #Science #Earth #ISS #MealPreparation #Food #Astronauts #JonnyKim #AstronautVideography #UnitedStates #Japan #日本 #JAXA #Cosmonauts #Russia #Roscosmos #HumanSpaceflight #SpaceLaboratory #InternationalCooperation #Expedition73 #STEM #Education #HD #Video

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch of U.S.-European Earth Satellite Sentinel-6B | NASA

SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch of U.S.-European Earth Satellite Sentinel-6B | NASA

On Sunday, November 16, 2025, at 9:21 p.m. Pacific Time (PT), a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched NASA’s Sentinel-6B mission from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) from Vandenberg in California. This marks Falcon’s 500th mission with a flight-proven booster overall.

Additionally, this was the third flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission that previously supported two Starlink missions. Following stage separation, the first stage landed on Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg.

Sentinel-6B will use radar to bounce signals off of the ocean surface to deliver continuous ocean topography measurements. The mission also will collect high-resolution vertical profiles of temperature to assess temperature changes in Earth’s atmosphere and improve weather prediction models. It took over from Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, a twin of Sentinel-6B, which Falcon 9 launched five years ago from SLC-4E on November 21, 2020.

More launch information here: https://www.spacex.com/launches/sentinel-6b

NASA and its U.S. and international partners have teamed up to launch a new Earth-observing satellite called Sentinel-6B that will measure sea surface height of most of the planet’s ocean. These observations will help build an accurate picture of local and global sea levels for weather and storm forecasting to secure coastal property and infrastructure, and to support commercial activities, such as shipping and undersea pipeline operations. 

Sentinel-6B is the latest in a series of satellites dating back to 1992 that have created a more-than-30-year record of sea level rise around the globe. It is part of the Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-Continuity of Service (CS) mission. The first, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, was launched in 2020. As its twin, Sentinel-6B will continue measuring sea levels down to roughly an inch for about 90% of Earth’s ocean.

The Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission was jointly developed by NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with funding support from the European Commission and technical support from the French space agency Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES).

Earlier this year, Sentinel-6B was removed from storage and underwent a series of checks at IABG in Ottobrunn, Germany. It was then transported by truck to Bremen, where it was loaded onto the Industrial Dolphin ship for a three-week sea voyage to Galveston, Texas. Upon arrival, it was transported by road to NASA’s facilities at Vandenberg, California, where it remained in storage until October, when final launch preparations were made.

The Sentinel-6B satellite was built by Airbus Defence and Space in Europe.

For more information on the Sentinel-6B mission, visit: 
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/sentinel-6/
https://bit.ly/3WZzJVy

Image Credit: SpaceX

Release Date: Nov. 17, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Space #Science #Satellites #Sentinel6B #Earth #Oceans #SeaLevels #ClimateChange #GlobalHeating #EarthObservation #RemoteSensing #JPL #Caltech #NOAA #UnitedStates #EU #EuropeanUnion #EUMETSAT #CNES #Airbus #Europe #STEM #Education

The Paranal Observatory in Chile: A Hypnotizing View | ESO

The Paranal Observatory in Chile: A Hypnotizing View | ESO

“I couldn't believe I was photographing a circumpolar startrail in Paranal; without a doubt, one of the most incredible experiences I've had as a photographer,” says Osvaldo Castillo, the Chilean astrophotographer responsible for this stunning picture.  

This circular motion of the stars is caused by the rotation of the Earth around its axis. The point at which Earth's rotation axis extends to in the sky is called a celestial pole, which in today's image is the center around which all these stars seem to move or trail—hence, the name circumpolar startrail.

Osvaldo was able to capture this hypnotizing motion at the European Southern Observatory’s Paranal Observatory in Chile. With the tip of one of the Auxiliary Telescopes almost perfectly aligning with the southern celestial pole, it seems as if the sky revolves around the telescope, making it the center of attention.  

However, capturing these circular startrails is no easy task. Multiple images must be taken over several hours with a long exposure time—a slight misalignment can completely ruin the outcome, as the final trails are only visible when the individual images come together. And since the telescope moves as it points to different locations, different shots need to be taken for the foreground and background. Osvaldo explains that he took “almost 300 images and you can't see the result immediately. Fortunately, the calculation and orientation to the South were accurate." Lucky for us! We now get to enjoy this mesmerizing picture. 

Image Description: An open white dome with part of a telescope peeking through its opening at the top. The sky in the background is full of countless concentric white-ish circles, centered at the top of the telescope.

Credit: O. Castillo/ESO
Release Date: Nov. 17, 2025

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Earth #NightSky #StarTrails #SkyPhenomena #VLT #Telescopes #ParanalObservatory #Chile #Europe #Astrophotography #Photography #OsvaldoCastillo #Astrophotographer #TimelapsePhotography #Art #STEM #Education

Ariane 6 Rocket: Flight VA265 | Sentinel-1D Satellite | Best of Liftoff | Arianespace

Ariane 6 Rocket: Flight VA265 | Sentinel-1D Satellite | Best of Liftoff | Arianespace

One week ago, an Arianespace Ariane 6 rocket successfully launched the Sentinel-1D satellite from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on mission VA265 🚀.

This recap video covers:

Arrival of Sentinel-1D in Kourou

Encapsulation and integration with Ariane 6

Roll-out and liftoff

Successful separation in orbit ✨

🛰 Sentinel-1D, developed by Thales Alenia Space for the European Commission under contract with ESA, is part of the EU’s Copernicus program. With its radar instruments, it will deliver continuous, all-weather, day-and-night imagery of Earth’s surface, supporting vital environmental monitoring of sea ice, glaciers, subsidence, and oil spills 🌍.

Learn more:
https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1/Sentinel-1D_reaches_orbit_on_Ariane_6

Video Credit: Arianespace
Duration: 2 minutes
Release Date: Nov. 17, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Space #Science #Satellites #Sentinel1D #EarthObservation #RemoteSensing #Arianespace #Ariane6 #Ariane6Rocket #HeavyLiftRocket #RocketLaunch #MissionVA265 #GuianaSpaceCentre #KourouSpaceport #Kourou #FrenchGuiana #SouthAmerica #France #CNES #ArianeGroup #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

ULA Atlas V Rocket Launch Highlights: ViaSat-3 F2 Commercial Broaband Satellite

ULA Atlas V Rocket Launch Highlights: ViaSat-3 F2 Commercial Broaband Satellite

Watch launch highlights of the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket carrying the 13,000-pound (6-metric-ton) ViaSat-3 F2 ultra-high-capacity broadband satellite. ULA launched the Atlas V at 10:04 p.m. EST (0304 UTC) from Cape Canaveral, Florida. ULA's Atlas V successfully delivered the ViaSat-3 F2 ultra-high-capacity satellite into a geosynchronous transfer orbit.

Watch the full launch webcast here: 
http://bit.ly/av_viasat

This new satellite will more than double the bandwidth capacity of ViaSat's existing fleet. ViaSat, Inc. is an American communications company based in Carlsbad, California, with additional operations across the United States and worldwide. ViaSat is a commercial provider of high-capacity broadband satellite services and secure networking systems.

United Launch Alliance, LLC (ULA) is an American launch service provider formed in December 2006 as a joint venture between Lockheed Martin Space and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The company designs, assembles, sells and launches rockets. The company uses rocket engines, solid rocket boosters, and other components supplied by other companies.

ViaSat: https://www.viasat.com

Video Credit: United Launch Alliance (ULA)

Duration: 1 minute
Date: Nov. 17, 2025

#NASA #Space #Satellites #Earth #CommercialSpace #UnitedLaunchAlliance #AtlasV #ULA #LockheedMartin #Boeing #ViaSat #ViaSat3Flight2 #CommunicationsSatellites #GTO #UnitedStates #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Close-up: Galaxy NGC 1511 in Hydrus: A Disruptive Neighbor | Hubble

Close-up: Galaxy NGC 1511 in Hydrus: A Disruptive Neighbor | Hubble

Though interesting to look at, NGC 1511 is one galaxy you might not want for a neighbor. As this Hubble picture shows, NGC 1511 is a peculiar spiral galaxy located roughly 50 million light-years away in the constellation Hydrus. Like many galaxies, NGC 1511 does not travel through space alone. Instead, it has a pair of small galactic companions called NGC 1511A and NGC 1511B, that lie outside the frame of this Hubble image. NGC 1511B is situated closest to NGC 1511, and the two galaxies have apparently clashed in the past; a narrow strand of hydrogen gas connects them, and NGC 1511B has been stretched and distorted by the encounter. Researchers have even found evidence that NGC 1511 once had another small companion galaxy that it has disrupted entirely!

These disruptions have an impact on NGC 1511, too. The galaxy is experiencing a burst of star formation, and its disc features strange loops and plumes that could point to past interactions with its neighboring galaxies. Researchers will use Hubble’s keen observations of NGC 1511 to study star clusters embedded within its dusty gas, seeking to understand how matter is cycled from interstellar clouds to stars and back to clouds once again.

Image Description: A spiral galaxy, tilted away so that it is seen mostly from the edge. The disc of the galaxy glows blue from its center, due to younger stars in the spiral arms. There are large and small patches of gas, glowing in red and pink colors, where new stars are forming. Webs of dark dust are spread over the disc.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker

Duration: 30 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 14, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #Galaxies #NGC1511 #PeculiarGalaxies #NGC1511A #NGC1511B #Hydrus #Constellations #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Finding Star Clusters in Lost Spiral Galaxy NGC 4535 in Virgo | Hubble

Finding Star Clusters in Lost Spiral Galaxy NGC 4535 in Virgo | Hubble

This Hubble picture features the spiral galaxy NGC 4535. It is located about 50 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo (The Maiden). This galaxy has been nicknamed the ‘Lost Galaxy’ because it is extremely faint when viewed through a small telescope. With a mirror spanning 2.4 meters across, Hubble is well equipped to observe dim galaxies like NGC 4535 and pick out features like its massive spiral arms and central bar of stars.

On full display in this Hubble image are NGC 4535’s young star clusters that dot the galaxy’s spiral arms. Many of the groupings of bright blue stars are enclosed by glowing pink clouds. These clouds, called H II (‘H-two’) regions, are a sign that the galaxy is home to especially young, hot, and massive stars that are blazing with high-energy radiation. By heating the clouds in which they were born, shooting out powerful stellar winds, and eventually exploding as supernovae, massive stars certainly shake up their surroundings. 

This Hubble image incorporates data from an observing program that will catalogue roughly 50,000 H II regions in nearby star-forming galaxies like NGC 4535. A previous image of NGC 4535 was released in 2021. Both the 2021 image and today’s image incorporate observations from the PHANGS program that seek to understand the connections between young stars and cold gas. This  current image adds a new dimension to our understanding of NGC 4535 by capturing the brilliant red glow of the nebulae that encircle massive stars in their first few million years of life.

Image Description: A close-in view of a spiral galaxy that faces the viewer. Brightly lit spiral arms swing outwards through the galaxy’s disc, starting from an elliptical region in the center. Thick strands of dark reddish dust are spread across the disc, mostly following the spiral arms. The arms also contain many glowing pink-red spots where stars form. The galaxy is a bit fainter beyond the arms, but speckled with blue stars.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, F. Belfiore, J. Lee and the PHANGS-HST Team
Release Date: Nov. 17, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Astronomy #Space #Science #Hubble #Stars #Galaxies #NGC4535 #SpiralGalaxies #Virgo #Constellations #Cosmos #Universe #HubbleSpaceTelescope #HST #GSFC #STScI #UnitedStates #Europe #STEM #Education

U.S.-European Earth Satellite Sentinel-6B Deployment via SpaceX Falcon 9 | NASA

U.S.-European Earth Satellite Sentinel-6B Deployment via SpaceX Falcon 9 | NASA

Orbital deployment of the Sentinel-6B satellite has been confirmed. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the Sentinel-6B Earth observation satellite on Monday, November 17, 2025 (Eastern Standard Time), from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg in California. This is the second Sentinel-6 satellite Falcon 9 has launched after delivering the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite to orbit in November 2020.

NASA and its U.S. and international partners have teamed up to launch a new Earth-observing satellite called Sentinel-6B that will measure sea surface height of most of the planet’s ocean. These observations will help build an accurate picture of local and global sea levels for weather and storm forecasting to secure coastal property and infrastructure, and to support commercial activities, such as shipping and undersea pipeline operations. 

Sentinel-6B will be the latest in a series of satellites dating back to 1992 that have created a more-than-30-year record of sea level rise around the globe. It is part of the Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-Continuity of Service (CS) mission. The first, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, was launched in 2020. As its twin, Sentinel-6B will continue measuring sea levels down to roughly an inch for about 90% of Earth’s ocean.

The Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission was jointly developed by NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with funding support from the European Commission and technical support from the French space agency Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES).

Earlier this year, Sentinel-6B was removed from storage and underwent a series of checks at IABG in Ottobrunn, Germany. It was then transported by truck to Bremen, where it was loaded onto the Industrial Dolphin ship for a three-week sea voyage to Galveston, Texas. Upon arrival, it was transported by road to NASA’s facilities at Vandenberg, California, where it remained in storage until October, when final launch preparations were made.

The Sentinel-6B satellite was built by Airbus Defence and Space in Europe.

For more information on the Sentinel-6B mission, visit: 
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/sentinel-6/
https://bit.ly/3WZzJVy

Video Credit: SpaceX

Duration: 20 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 17, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Space #Science #Satellites #Sentinel6B #Earth #Oceans #SeaLevels #ClimateChange #GlobalHeating #EarthObservation #RemoteSensing #JPL #Caltech #NOAA #UnitedStates #EU #EuropeanUnion #EUMETSAT #CNES #Airbus #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

Liftoff: U.S.-European Earth Satellite Sentinel-6B on SpaceX Falcon 9 | NASA

Liftoff: U.S.-European Earth Satellite Sentinel-6B on SpaceX Falcon 9 | NASA

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has launched the Sentinel-6B Earth observation satellite on Monday, November 17, 2025 (Eastern Standard Time), from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg in California. This is the second Sentinel-6 satellite Falcon 9 has launched after delivering the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite to orbit in November 2020.

NASA and its U.S. and international partners have teamed up to launch a new Earth-observing satellite called Sentinel-6B that will measure sea surface height of most of the planet’s ocean. These observations will help build an accurate picture of local and global sea levels for weather and storm forecasting to secure coastal property and infrastructure, and to support commercial activities, such as shipping and undersea pipeline operations. 

Sentinel-6B will be the latest in a series of satellites dating back to 1992 that have created a more-than-30-year record of sea level rise around the globe. It is part of the Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-Continuity of Service (CS) mission. The first, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, was launched in 2020. As its twin, Sentinel-6B will continue measuring sea levels down to roughly an inch for about 90% of Earth’s ocean.

The Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission was jointly developed by NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with funding support from the European Commission and technical support from the French space agency Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES).

Earlier this year, Sentinel-6B was removed from storage and underwent a series of checks at IABG in Ottobrunn, Germany. It was then transported by truck to Bremen, where it was loaded onto the Industrial Dolphin ship for a three-week sea voyage to Galveston, Texas. Upon arrival, it was transported by road to NASA’s facilities at Vandenberg, California, where it remained in storage until October, when final launch preparations were made.

The Sentinel-6B satellite was built by Airbus Defence and Space in Europe.

For more information on the Sentinel-6B mission, visit: 
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/sentinel-6/
https://bit.ly/3WZzJVy

Video Credit: SpaceX

Duration: 32 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 17, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Space #Science #Satellites #Sentinel6B #Earth #Oceans #SeaLevels #ClimateChange #GlobalHeating #EarthObservation #RemoteSensing #JPL #Caltech #NOAA #UnitedStates #EU #EuropeanUnion #EUMETSAT #CNES #Airbus #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video

U.S.-European Earth Satellite Sentinel-6B: SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch Ready | NASA

U.S.-European Earth Satellite Sentinel-6B: SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch Ready | NASA

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with U.S./European Sentinel-6B Earth observation satellite

Sentinel 6 Mission Emblem

Launch is currently targeted for 12:21 a.m. EST, Monday, Nov. 17 (9:21 p.m. PST, Sunday, Nov. 16), 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg in California.

NASA and its U.S. and international partners have teamed up to launch a new Earth-observing satellite called Sentinel-6B that will measure sea surface height of most of the planet’s ocean. These observations will help build an accurate picture of local and global sea levels for weather and storm forecasting to secure coastal property and infrastructure, and to support commercial activities, such as shipping and undersea pipeline operations. 

Sentinel-6B will be the latest in a series of satellites dating back to 1992 that have created a more-than-30-year record of sea level rise around the globe. It is part of the Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-Continuity of Service (CS) mission. The first, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, was launched in 2020. As its twin, Sentinel-6B will continue measuring sea levels down to roughly an inch for about 90% of Earth’s ocean.

The Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission was jointly developed by NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with funding support from the European Commission and technical support from the French space agency Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES).

Earlier this year, Sentinel-6B was removed from storage and underwent a series of checks at IABG in Ottobrunn, Germany. It was then transported by truck to Bremen, where it was loaded onto the Industrial Dolphin ship for a three-week sea voyage to Galveston, Texas. Upon arrival, it was transported by road to NASA’s facilities at Vandenberg, California, where it remained in storage until October, when final launch preparations were made.

The Sentinel-6B satellite was built by Airbus Defence and Space in Europe.

For more information on the Sentinel-6B mission, visit: 
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/sentinel-6/
https://bit.ly/3WZzJVy

Image Credit: SpaceX
Release Date: Nov. 16, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Space #Science #Satellites #Sentinel6B #Earth #Oceans #SeaLevels #ClimateChange #GlobalHeating #EarthObservation #RemoteSensing #JPL #Caltech #NOAA #UnitedStates #EU #EuropeanUnion #EUMETSAT #CNES #Airbus #Europe #STEM #Education

U.S.-European Earth Observation Satellite Sentinel-6B: Pre-launch | NASA/ESA

U.S.-European Earth Observation Satellite Sentinel-6B: Pre-launch | NASA/ESA

NASA and its U.S. and international partners have teamed up to launch a new Earth-observing satellite called Sentinel-6B that will measure sea surface height of most of the planet’s ocean. These observations will help build an accurate picture of local and global sea levels for weather and storm forecasting to secure coastal property and infrastructure, and to support commercial activities, such as shipping and undersea pipeline operations. 

Sentinel-6B will be the latest in a series of satellites dating back to 1992 that have created a more-than-30-year record of sea level rise around the globe. It is part of the Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-Continuity of Service (CS) mission. The first, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, was launched in 2020. As its twin, Sentinel-6B will continue measuring sea levels down to roughly an inch for about 90% of Earth’s ocean.

The Copernicus Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission was jointly developed by NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with funding support from the European Commission and technical support from the French space agency Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES).

Earlier this year, Sentinel-6B was removed from storage and underwent a series of checks at IABG in Ottobrunn, Germany. It was then transported by truck to Bremen, where it was loaded onto the Industrial Dolphin ship for a three-week sea voyage to Galveston, Texas. Upon arrival, it was transported by road to NASA’s facilities at Vandenberg, California, where it remained in storage until October, when final launch preparations were made.

Sentinel-6B will launch from Vandenberg’s Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket no earlier than Monday, Nov. 16, 2025.

The Sentinel-6B satellite was built by Airbus Defence and Space in Europe.

For more information on the Sentinel-6B mission, visit: 
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/sentinel-6/
https://bit.ly/3WZzJVy

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Duration: 1 minute, 37 seconds
Release Date: Nov. 15, 2025

#NASA #ESA #Space #Science #Satellites #Sentinel6B #Earth #Oceans #SeaLevels #ClimateChange #GlobalHeating #EarthObservation #RemoteSensing #JPL #Caltech #NOAA #UnitedStates #EU #EuropeanUnion #EUMETSAT #CNES #Airbus #Europe #STEM #Education #HD #Video