The Copernicus Sentinel-6 satellite mission is the global reference for measuring sea surface height. The first satellite of the mission, Copernicus Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich (Sentinel-6A), was launched in 2020. It follows a well-established, 10-day repeat orbit, delivering sea-level measurements with centimetre-level accuracy. Data from...

As November approaches, the EU Space Programme is preparing for its next milestone in Earth Observation (EO): the launch of Copernicus Sentinel-6B, the second of two identical satellites in Europe’s sea-level monitoring mission. Set to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the satellite carries a sophisticated radar altimetry...

On 28 October 2025, Hurricane Melissa, the most powerful storm to hit Jamaica in history, made landfall on the island with devastating force. With sustained winds reaching 298 km/h and a central pressure of 892 hPa, Melissa already ranks among the most intense hurricanes ever observed in the Atlantic basin. On that day, at 15:55 UTC, one of the...

On 28 October 2025, Hurricane Melissa, the most powerful storm to hit Jamaica in history, made landfall on the island with devastating force. With sustained winds reaching 298 km/h and a central pressure of 892 hPa, Melissa already ranks among the most intense hurricanes ever observed in the Atlantic basin.

Rising to 2,022 metres, Mont Idoukal-n-Taghès is the highest peak in Niger and a prominent feature of the Aïr Massif in the north of the country. This mountainous region of volcanic origin stands out as a biodiversity hotspot within the arid expanse of the southern Sahara. This natural-colour image, acquired on 8 September 2025 by one of the...