SpaceXFalcon 9 Block 5Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Sentinel-6B

Name: Sentinel-6B launch
Start: 2025-11-17T05:21:42.000Z
End: 2025-11-17T05:32:00.000Z
Location: Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Launched

November 17, 2025 · 05:21 UTC

Launch SuccessfulWeather 90% go

Image: SpaceX

Summary

Sentinel-6B launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA on November 17, 2025 at 05:21 UTC. The launch window ran from 05:12 to 05:32 UTC. It was SpaceX's 601st launch, 152nd this year and humanity's 7,120th orbital launch attempt. It was the 508th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight and the 147th this year. Booster B1097 flew for the 3rd time and landed at Landing Zone 4. The payload was bound for low Earth orbit (LEO). It reached a 1,315 × 1,334 km orbit inclined 66.0°. One object from this launch is catalogued.

Watch: Sentinel-6B LaunchNASA
Sentinel-6B LaunchNASA
Sentinel-6B LaunchNASA
Vehicle: Falcon 9 Block 5 · SpaceXCopernicus
Booster: B1097 · flight 3 · Return to Launch Site at Landing Zone 4 · landed35/35 landed here · 44 days after its previous flight, Starlink Group 11-39
Mission: Earth Science · Low Earth Orbit (LEO)for EUMETSAT, ESA, NASA, NOAA
Milestone: 508th Falcon 9 Block 5 flight · 147th this yearSpaceX's 601st launch152nd this yearhumanity's 7,120th orbital launch attempt271st orbital launch attempt this year

Webcast

Replay

Watch on YouTube

Flight preview

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Orbit: as tracked

66.0°Inclination

1315 × 1334 kmPerigee × apogeefrom mean elements

112.0 minPeriodfrom mean elements

215.6°Ascending node

333 d agoElement epoch2025-11-17 08:20 UTC · stale

Sentinel-6B · NORAD 66514 · 2025-264 · Space-Track

Show the numbers

Object: TBA - TO BE ASSIGNED
Object ID: 2025-264A
Epoch: 2025-11-17 08:20:13 UTC
Mean motion: 12.85986692 rev/day
Eccentricity: 0.00125
Inclination: 66.0461°
Ascending node: 215.5768°
Arg. of perigee: 270.6637°
Mean anomaly: 89.2949°
Element set: 999
Rev at epoch: 2
B*: 0.0000076954

Perigee, apogee and period are Kepler figures from the catalogued mean elements, not a propagated state. Published orbit: LEO. Ascent drawn from padside's representative profile. Booster return drawn from padside's representative arc.

Flight timeline

25 steps, T−38 min to T+57 min 13 s

T−38MGO for Prop Load
T−35MStage 1 LOX Load
T−35MProp Load
T−16MStage 2 LOX Load
T−7MEngine Chill
T−1MStartup
T−1MTank Press
T−45SGO for Launch
T−3SIgnition
T−0Liftoff
T+1M12SMax-Q
T+2M13SMECO
T+2M17SStage 2 Separation
T+2M25SSES-1
T+2M30SBooster Boostback Burn Startup
T+2M48SFairing Separation
T+3M18SBooster Boostback Burn Shutdown
T+7M22SEntry Burn Startup
T+7M48SEntry Burn Shutdown
T+8M18SSECO-1
T+8M42SStage 1 Landing Burn
T+9M11SStage 1 Landing
T+52M2SSES-2
T+52M12SSECO-2
T+57M13SPayload Separation

Catalogued objects

1 catalogued: 1 payload; 1 still in orbit

Sentinel-6B · NORAD 66514 · in orbit

Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org

About this launch

The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich (launched November 2020) and Sentinel-6B make up the Sentinel-6 mission, also known as Jason Continuity of Service (Jason-CS), which is a partnership between NASA, NOAA, ESA, and EUMETSAT. This mission continues the long-term global sea surface height data record begun by first Jason satellites in 1992.

News

1 story

NASA · Sep 9How 2 US, European Satellites Are Studying Hurricanes During El NiñoLast November, NASA and its European partners launched the Sentinel-6B satellite to improve hurricane forecasts, help protect infrastructure, and benefit commercial industries, including shipping. The satellite now is flying 30 seconds behind its predecessor, Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich. Both satellites are providing precise sea level height measurements during what oceanographers expect to be a historic El […]

Pad

Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

230th launch from Space Launch Complex 4E, 56th this year · 844th from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Local pad time at liftoff: Nov 16, 9:21 PM PST, at night

303 launches from this pad · 919 from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

10 days after the previous launch from this pad

All launches from Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA Open in maps

Updates

Launch successful

hitura-nobad · Nov 17, 2025 · source

Show 9 earlier updates

Sentinel-6B deployed
hitura-nobad · 11/17/2025 · source
Liftoff!
hitura-nobad · 11/17/2025 · source
Updated launch weather, 90% GO.
Cosmic_Penguin · 11/17/2025 · source
Official Webcast by NASA has started
LL2 · 11/17/2025 · source
Tweaked T-0.
Cosmic_Penguin · 11/16/2025 · source
Updated launch weather, 40% GO.
Cosmic_Penguin · 11/15/2025 · source
Tweaked T-0.
Cosmic_Penguin · 11/15/2025 · source
GO for launch.
Cosmic_Penguin · 11/7/2025 · source
Added launch window per marine navigation warnings.
Cosmic_Penguin · 11/6/2025 · source

Questions

When did Sentinel-6B launch?

Sentinel-6B launched on November 17, 2025 at 05:21 UTC. The launch window ran from 05:12 to 05:32 UTC.

Where can I watch Sentinel-6B?

Coverage: Sentinel-6B Launch; Sentinel-6B Launch; Sentinel-6B Launch. Watch the replay

What rocket launched Sentinel-6B?

Falcon 9 Block 5, flown by SpaceX. Falcon 9 Block 5 spec sheet

Where did Sentinel-6B launch from?

Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA. Liftoff was Nov 16, 9:21 PM PST local time at the pad.

Did the booster land?

Booster B1097 flew for the 3rd time and landed at Landing Zone 4.

What orbit did Sentinel-6B reach?

It reached a 1,315 × 1,334 km orbit inclined 66.0°.

How many satellites did Sentinel-6B launch?

1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).

Which program is Sentinel-6B part of?

Copernicus. About Copernicus