As part of the Copernicus programme, Sentinel-1A is the first of a two-satellite mission that will image land and oceans using highly precise radar, enabling the pair to acquire imagery regardless of weather.

Lift off is set for 21:02 GMT (23:02 CEST) on a Soyuz rocket from Kourou, the seventh Russian-built Soyuz to take off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

Here’s an overview of the many ways you can connect with ESA and follow lift off.

Web streams

Launch webcast  – Watch live coverage from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.  Streaming begins at 20:45 GMT (22:45 CEST).

Launch event at ESA’s mission control centre  – Join European experts as they highlight the Sentinel-1 mission and the Copernicus programme live from ESA’s mission control centre. Streaming begins at 19:30 GMT (21:30 CEST).

Twitter

The official hashtag is #Sentinel1

Follow @esa_eo for live updates from the launch event at ESOC

Follow @esaoperations for real-time news from the mission control team

ESA blogs

Check right here – the EO Launch Campaigns blog – for periodic update, including news from the campaign team in Kourou.

Sentinel-1 web

For more information on Sentinel-1 plus the latest news and interviews with the ESA team working on the mission, visit https://www.esa.int/sentinel-1

YouTube

The Sentinel-1 video playlist can be found via https://goo.gl/X1Nuld

Flickr

Access up-to-date mission image sets via Flickr:

Google+

ESA in Google+ with real-time Sentinel-1 updates via https://goo.gl/VJEOQc

Facebook

Access the Friends of ESA Facebook page via https://www.facebook.com/EuropeanSpaceAgency