Sentinel-1D, the latest satellite in the Copernicus Sentinel-1 radar constellation, was launched on 4 November on an Ariane 6 rocket from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, carrying a 12 m synthetic aperture radar instrument. After activation in orbit, the satellite began acquisitions during passes over Antarctica and South America two days after launch, and then over Bremen on 7 November.
On the night of 6 November (European time), Sentinel-1D recorded its first images over the Antarctic Peninsula, Tierra del Fuego and the Thwaites Glacier region, and about six hours later acquired data over Bremen. The mission team downlinked the data to the Copernicus Ground Segment station in Matera, Italy, and processed it within 50 hours of launch, which ESA reports as likely a record for a radar Earth observation satellite from launch to data delivery.
ESA Sentinel-1 Mission Manager Nuno Miranda described the first-light data quality as unprecedented for an initial acquisition and comparable to the imagery recently obtained from Sentinel-1C, supporting a smooth start to commissioning. Miranda noted that Sentinel-1D's first radar images were delivered even faster than Sentinel-1B's, which provided its initial data within about two hours of activation, and said this performance reflects the preparation of ESA and partner teams.
The Sentinel-1 radar instruments can image Earth's surface in all weather and lighting conditions, which supports continuous monitoring of polar regions and other areas. Sentinel-1C and Sentinel-1D also carry Automatic Identification System instruments that enhance ship detection and marine pollution monitoring, and Sentinel-1D's AIS was activated over Antarctica, detecting vessels in polar waters.
A new radar image of the Antarctic Peninsula shows the contrast between the ocean and the ice-covered peninsula, which forms part of West Antarctica and extends roughly 1300 km, ending about 1000 km from South America. ESA notes that although the Antarctic Peninsula ice sheet is smaller than other Antarctic ice masses, its relatively small glaciers and rapid regional warming make it especially sensitive to climate change, with observations of ice shelf collapse, glacier thinning and speed-up.
An image of Tierra del Fuego, the archipelago at the southern tip of South America shared by Argentina and Chile and separated from the mainland by the Magellan Strait, uses multiple radar polarisations to highlight terrain. In this product, the ocean and snow-covered peaks appear in blue tones, while land areas show up in yellow, illustrating how polarimetric SAR data can distinguish surface types.
Another Sentinel-1D image focuses on Thwaites Glacier and neighbouring Pine Island Glacier, located west of the Antarctic Peninsula and identified as highly vulnerable to climate change. ESA describes Thwaites as among Antarctica's most unstable glaciers, at risk of rapid retreat, and notes that the detailed radar view underscores Antarctic glacier fragility during the United Nations International Year of Glaciers' Preservation in 2025.
This composite for Thwaites and Pine Island also uses multiple radar polarisations; sea ice in surrounding waters appears in purple and violet shades, while the glacier surfaces appear white, providing enhanced information on ice and ocean conditions. ESA links the release of these images to discussions at COP30 on climate impacts and mitigation, and cites the World Meteorological Organization's State of the Climate Update indicating that glaciers lost the largest ice volume on record between October 2023 and September 2024, equivalent to about 1.2 mm of global mean sea-level rise.
The same WMO update reports that on 24 February 2025 Antarctic sea-ice extent reached its third-lowest value since satellite monitoring began in 1978, with the lowest extent recorded in 2023. These findings place the Sentinel-1D observations in the context of continued ice loss and shrinking sea-ice cover.
Simonetta Cheli, ESA's Director of Earth Observation Programmes, said, "This is a great achievement and I am so pleased to see these results from Sentinel-1D. It really places the data we receive from our innovative missions in the spotlight - it is data that we as a society rely upon as we continue to discuss and take action on climate change, and also data that we need in applications for understanding and studying our planet.
"The Sentinel-1 team has done an amazing job and I would like to thank everyone within ESA, together with our partners in the space industry and European institutions, for delivering work of such high quality. It's an honour to deliver this mission for the Copernicus Earth observation programme, and we thank the Commission for their support and collaboration. We look forward also to developing the Sentinel missions of the future, to further extend the capacity and potential of Copernicus for Europe."
A radar image of Bremen, where ESA's Ministerial Council convened, illustrates Sentinel-1D's capability to map urban environments as well as polar regions. ESA also highlights a launch video showing Sentinel-1D's Ariane 6 liftoff and early mission operations.
Related Links
European Space Agency
Beyond the Ice Age
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