The European Space Agency (ESA) and its partners have announced the successful deployment of Sentinel-4, a state-of-the-art air quality monitoring instrument developed by Airbus, now operational on the MTG-S1 weather satellite. This launch marks a significant step forward in Europe’s ability to observe and analyse atmospheric conditions.
Sentinel-4, manufactured in Germany for ESA, is an advanced spectrometer designed to track pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide, formaldehyde, and airborne particles. Operating in the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared ranges, the instrument will deliver hourly updates with high temporal precision, helping to detect pollution events, monitor long-term atmospheric trends, and support air quality forecasts.
Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus, stated that this achievement underscores the strength of Europe’s collaborative space efforts. He noted that the data generated will enhance the Copernicus programme’s ability to address air pollution and environmental health across Europe.
Mounted on the third-generation Meteosat satellite (MTG-S1), Sentinel-4 will operate from a geostationary orbit 36,000 kilometres above the Earth, delivering continuous coverage of Europe and parts of North Africa. The mission’s unique combination of meteorological and chemical atmospheric data is expected to improve weather forecasting and deepen scientific understanding of the links between climate and air quality.
All data collected by Sentinel-4 will be freely accessible through the Copernicus programme, supporting scientists, government agencies, and environmental organisations across Europe. EUMETSAT will oversee day-to-day operations of both the satellite and the instrument.
The launch is a vital component of the broader Copernicus initiative, which seeks to deliver dependable Earth observation tools to address environmental threats, support disaster management, and inform public policy. A second Sentinel-4 instrument is currently under assembly and is scheduled to fly on the MTG-S2 satellite in the 2030s. Sentinel-4 builds on the heritage of earlier successful instruments like SCIAMACHY and TROPOMI, continuing ESA and Airbus’s long-standing commitment to delivering high-quality atmospheric monitoring solutions.
