Sentinel-2 Satellite Constellation Capabilities
Multispectral Imaging for Land Monitoring, Agriculture, and Environmental Applications
About Sentinel-2A, 2B & 2C
Sentinel-2A, Sentinel-2B, and Sentinel-2C are identical Earth observation satellites launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2015, 2017, and 2023, respectively. Part of the Copernicus Sentinel mission, these satellites provide high-resolution multispectral imagery for land monitoring, agriculture, forestry, and environmental applications. Sentinel-2C will gradually take over the operational responsibilities as Sentinel-2A nears the end of its nominal lifespan.
Multispectral Data
13 spectral bands in the visible and near-infrared regions enable detailed analysis of land, vegetation, and water quality.
Frequent Revisit Times
Combined constellation provides a five-day revisit cycle, delivering up-to-date information for land and environmental monitoring.
Wide Swath Width
Large swath of 290 km at nadir allows coverage of extensive regions in a single pass.
Features and Benefits
- High-resolution multispectral data with 13 bands supports monitoring of vegetation, land cover, water quality, and environmental changes.
- Systemic global coverage of land surfaces and coastal waters enables large-scale applications in agriculture, forestry, and environmental management.
- Five-day revisit cycle (combined constellation) ensures timely and accurate monitoring of changes on the ground.
- Wide swath width (290 km at nadir) provides broad coverage, reducing the number of passes needed for large areas.
- Sentinel-2 data is freely available, supporting researchers, government agencies, and commercial organisations worldwide.
- Valuable for monitoring deforestation, wildfires, natural disasters, and land-use changes over time.
Find out more here.
