[Satellite TODAY 12-17-10] The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected Arianespace to launch the Sentinel-1A satellite as part of the European program Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES), Arianespace announced Dec. 16.
    The satellite Earth observation will launch on a Soyuz rocket from the Guiana Space Center in December 2012. The ESA deal is Arianespace’s 11th launch contract of the year.
    Sentinel-1A is equipped with a C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) type sensor and will be placed in a Sun-synchronous circular orbit. The satellite is now being developed and will be integrated by Thales Alenia Space Italy.