Copernicus Sentinel-6B is being prepared for liftoff, scheduled for 17 November. The photograph shows the upper composite of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the satellite encapsulated within, being taken to the launch pad at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

Like its predecessor, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich, Sentinel-6B carries the latest radar altimetry technology to further extend the sea-surface height record that began in the early 1990s. These measurements help scientists understand sea-level rise – crucial information for shaping climate policy and protecting the millions of people living in coastal areas around the world.