BackForward Satellite Programme: Copernicus Sentinel Expansion Missions 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Set of planned missions connected to the Sentinel series. 
  • Cooperative programme among ESA, the EC and EUMETSAT.  The three agencies co-responsible of mission requirements and definition, ESA reponsible of satellites development and several operations, EUMETSAT of several operations, the EC of major co-financing.
  • Funding for each mission has still to be confirmed by the EU.
  • Six satellite systems, generally with two flight models, considered:
    • CHIME: Copernicus Hyperspectral Imaging Mission
    • CIMR: Copernicus Imaging Microwave Radiometer
    • CO2M: Copernicus Anthropogenic Carbon Dioxide Monitoring
    • CRISTAL: Copernicus Polar Ice and Snow Topography Altimeter
    • LSTM: Copernicus Land Surface Temperature Monitoring
    • ROSE-L: Copernicus L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar.
  • All platforms are 3-axis stabilised; the design lifetimes change with satellites.
  • All satellites are in LEO orbits, most sunsynchronous (CHIME, CIMR, CO2M, LSTM and ROSE-L) at various LST, one drifting (CRISTAL).
  • For general information, see: https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Copernicus_Sentinel_Expansion_missions for more details on the satellites, follow the links to the respective Mission Requirement Documents.
Data circulation
  • TBD
Agencies ESA , EC, EUMETSAT
Programme lifetime 2026 - 2038
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned