Noordwijk, the Netherlands
Noordwijk, located on the Dutch North Sea coast, is home to stunning landscapes, including 13 kilometres of sandy beaches. The town boasts tall sand dunes and lush forests, which provide a relaxing atmosphere for outdoor activities. It also serves as an important hub for the EU Space Programme, hosting the Galileo Reference Centre.
This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 18 February 2025, shows the Galileo Reference Centre in Noordwijk.
The ground segments of the European Union Space Programme are essential to monitoring satellite health, archiving data, and reporting findings to stakeholders. They are key to calibrating and validating satellite transmissions.