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Sentinel-6 on pad at SLC-4, VAFB
![Falcon 9 vertical on pad](/rails/active_storage/blobs/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBZzBFIiwiZXhwIjpudWxsLCJwdXIiOiJibG9iX2lkIn19--258160d33f8d9f66b5996c76e488e08ac9648621/KSC-20201120-PH-SPX01_0007_orig.jpg?disposition=inline)
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, topped with the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite secured inside its payload fairing, is lifted to vertical at Space Launch Complex 4 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on Nov. 20, 2020. The Sentinel-6/Jason-CS (Continuity of Service) mission consists of the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite, which will be followed by its twin, the Sentinel-6B satellite, in 2025. The Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission is part of Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth observation program, managed by the European Commission. Continuing the legacy of the Jason series missions, Sentinel-6/Jason-CS will extend the records of sea level into their fourth decade, collecting accurate measurements of sea surface height for more than 90% of the world’s oceans, and providing crucial information for operational oceanography, marine meteorology, and climate studies. Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich is launched on Nov. 21, 2020, at 9:17 PST (12:17 EST).