Introducing the Sentinel-1A

We destroyed the environment and we need to face the consequences of our actions. Here in Singapore, there are many programmes implemented by the government to minimize the impact of human activities to the environment. The government is encouraging Singaporeans to participate in activities that can help the environment.

Looking at the bigger picture, there was a satellite deployed in space two weeks ago to monitor sea beds, oil spills and natural disasters. It will also help in humanitarian disasters. The satellite is called Sentinel-1A. Here are some things that you need to know about the Sentinel-1A:

• Who funded it: The satellite is jointly funded by the European Union (EU) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Sentinel-la is part of the Copernicus project which is also funded by EU and ESA.
• The cost of the satellite: The satellite costs $8.4 billion euro (or $11.6 billion). So far, the satellite sent its first images of Earth.

• The features: Sentinel-la features radar data which will be used for the mapping of natural catastrophes like earthquakes and floods. The satellite even produced an image of flooding in Namibia on April 17, 2014 in 3 hours. It can see regardless of the darkness of the cloud. Apart from that, Sentinel-la can also capture the elements of a city. For example, it captured images of Brussels. It showed red blue for urban areas, green for vegetation and many more.

EU and ESA have many matters to think about including its rivals – Global Positioning System (America), GLONASS (Russia) and Beidou System (China). Apart from its rivals, EU and ESA are also worried about the falling debris. Despite everything, the Sentinel-la will prove itself. Its help will be unparalleled.