The Copernicus Sentinel-3C satellite has taken another crucial step towards orbit – it has been fuelled at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana ahead of its planned launch on 15 September at 03:21 CEST (14 September at 22:21 local time). Fuelling is an extremely hazardous operation and takes place under strict safety procedures, carried out by a highly specialised team.

Sentinel-3C is the third satellite in the Sentinel-3 series. Like the two Sentinel-3 satellites already in orbit, Sentinel-3C carries a suite of cutting-edge instruments that measure the height of the ocean, sea and ice surface temperatures, ocean colour and sea ice thickness. Over land, it measures vegetation, wildfires, the variations of ice sheet as well as the water height of inland lakes and rivers. Its data support the Copernicus Services and help understand Earth dynamics.