SENTINEL 2A

About This Satellite

Sentinel-2A belongs to Copernicus's optical land-monitoring mission. Its multispectral instrument records 13 bands, supporting investigations of vegetation, land use, inland waters, and coastal environments. Unlike Sentinel-1A, it observes reflected light rather than illuminating the landscape with radar.

Spectral detail is not the same as spatial detail

The mission provides bands with 10 m, 20 m, and 60 m spatial sampling across a wide swath. A product containing 13 bands does not imply that all 13 resolve 10 m details. The appropriate band and resolution depend on the question, such as separating vegetation from water or examining a broader atmospheric effect.

A pass is not a cloud-free image

The sun-synchronous mission design supports repeated observations under comparable illumination. Optical views can still be obscured by clouds and shadows. The track below shows where the spacecraft is predicted to pass, not which clear pixels will be available. Acquisition date, cloud information, and processing level remain essential when using an actual scene.

Mission reference: ESA: Sentinel-2 facts and figures. Editorial review: 2026-09-07.

Why multiple bands reveal more than a colour photo

The multispectral instrument includes visible, near-infrared, and shortwave-infrared observations. Different combinations support different interpretations of land and vegetation. A false-colour image intentionally assigns bands to display colours; its red or blue areas need not be the colours a person would see from the ground. Read the band combination before interpreting such an image.

Reference: ESA: Sentinel-2 mission and multispectral imaging.

Comparing it with the other Sentinels

For a cloudy landscape, Sentinel-1 radar observations can complement optical imagery rather than replace it pixel for pixel. Radar backscatter and reflected sunlight measure different physical responses. This catalog comparison is a guide to choosing a mission family, not a claim that two products are directly interchangeable or were acquired at the same time.

Reference: ESA: the complementary cloud-penetrating radar approach.

Reading this orbital snapshot

Based on TLE epoch: 2026-09-05. Estimated altitude ranges from 788 km at perigee to 790 km at apogee, a difference of 2 km. The orbital period is about 100.6 minutes. Eccentricity 0.00012 indicates a nearly circular path. In a two-body approximation, perigee speed is 1.00 times apogee speed. These are mean-element estimates, not instantaneous measurements. Distance per orbit uses an ellipse approximation.

Saved build snapshot. If a valid TLE is retrieved, this explanation and the orbit panel update together. Otherwise this dated snapshot is retained.

Ground track is not sensor coverage

An inclination of 98.56 degrees implies approximate geocentric ground-track limits of 81.4 degrees north and south. This is a retrograde orbit, moving against the direction of Earth rotation. The plotted line marks the point beneath the object. It does not represent camera coverage, radio reception, or a guaranteed visible pass.

Accuracy and missing information

The introductory record describes the build snapshot. The orbital snapshot explanation and orbit panel share any successfully retrieved TLE; check the displayed epoch. Reentered objects retain historical data only. Mission history is not rewritten by TLE updates. TLE/SGP4 positions are predictions and can change after maneuvers or updated observations. The 14-day stale-data cutoff is a display safeguard, not an accuracy guarantee. Local passes are geometric predictions, not a visibility forecast. No verified operator or mission status means unknown, not active. Do not use this catalog for collision avoidance or operational flight decisions.

Catalog sources: CelesTrak SATCAT: NORAD 40697 · GCAT: S40697 (source update 2026 Sep 4 2345:57). Supplementary metadata: SatNOGS DB, retrieved 2026-09-05T12:57:25.375Z. Page assembled 2026-09-15. GCAT phase codes describe trajectory phases, not mission health.

Learn more: TLE data · Perigee and apogee · Ground tracks · JOT (Jewawud Live Orbital Map)

Satellite Details