COPERNICUS S2NG MISSION ADVISORY GROUP
DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION
30 NOVEMBER 2026 – 12:00 hrs noon (CET)
Submit your application for the Copernicus Sentinel-2 Next Generation (S2NG) Mission here – [OPEN]
We shall evaluate all applications in Q4 2026.
In order to submit your application, you need to be a registered user. To register or to log in to the site, please go to the Menu in the top left corner. Note that the last uploaded version of your application file (short CV and accompanying statement) to this Group membership application will replace any previously uploaded file on this system, and will be used by ESA for membership evaluation.
SENTINEL-2 NEXT GENERATION PHASE B2/C MAG OVERVIEW
This call is opened to renew the Mission Advisory Group (MAG) for the Phase B2/C of the Sentinel-2 Next Generation (S2NG) Mission. By participating, MAG members will have the opportunity to actively contribute to the preparation of S2NG.
Members of this group are expected to play an active role by providing expert advice on activities that support the design consolidation and development of the mission, and to participate actively in MAG activities. MAG members will also assist ESA in consolidating and maintaining the Mission Requirements Document (MRD).
In addition, the MAG will advise on the support activities tailored to the preparation of the Mission. These activities include:
- Analysing and verifying the traceability of user needs.
- Supporting the definition and performance estimation studies necessary for consolidating mission requirements or elements of the mission architecture.
- Definition of campaigns to support the development of mission concepts, verify observation and performance requirements, evaluate simulated data products, and assess retrieval methods.
The MAG will serve throughout the duration of Phase B2/C, that will start with the kick-off of the Phase B2 activities and will end with the system Critical Design Review (CDR), after which point membership will be reviewed.
The Sentinel-2 Next Generation Mission
Sentinel-2 Next Generation (S2NG) will be a backbone mission of the Copernicus programme, ensuring continuity of the high-resolution optical data currently provided by Sentinel-2 First Generation (S2FG) while also introducing enhancements to meet the evolving user needs across the 2030-2040’s timeframe. Building on the success of the first-generation mission, S2NG will maintain or exceed the high performance of S2FG data in terms of spatial and spectral resolution, revisit frequency, and data latency. In addition, the S2NG mission will ensure overlap between first and next generation missions, to minimise disruption to end users and services relying on the current S2FG data stream.
S2NG will be dedicated to high-resolution monitoring of the Earth’s land masses, as well as coastal and inland waters, across the visible, near- and shortwave-infrared regions of the spectrum. Measurements from S2NG will support continuity of the Copernicus services covering land applications such as agriculture, land cover and fire risk assessment, as well as being a key source of data for the Copernicus Emergency and Marine services. Furthermore, S2NG will also support continuity of the many additional services and products across the governmental and commercial sectors. The first-generation mission has proven valuable for operational and scientific use cases far beyond the original scope of the mission, and S2NG is likely to support an even wider set of uses.
Compared to the first-generation mission, S2NG will enhance spatial resolution and add new spectral bands to support improved monitoring of vegetation, soil health and atmospheric pollution such as methane plumes. In addition, several new bands will specifically address the needs of the aquatic community, targeting spectral features that are key for assessing water quality and phenomenon such as phytoplankton blooms.
The mission will continue to provide systematic coverage of land and coastal water through predefined acquisition plans, supporting critical Copernicus services such as emergency response and maritime surveillance. The expansion of the acquisition mask, with respect to the first-generation mission, is also being considered to allow twilight observations to support sea ice monitoring in polar regions. S2NG will also add the provision of night acquisitions over a reduced spatial and temporal coverage pattern, to improve the detection of gas flares and fires, and to support socioeconomic and security related applications. Timeliness remains a priority, with requirements specifying improved latency for all locations, and especially over Europe.
S2NG will also support the commercial Earth Observation ecosystem, through the provision of observations with excellent radiometric and geometric performance that act as an anchor for other missions to use as a cross-calibration source.
The mission is progressing towards Phase B2/C, with procurement activities underway.
USEFUL RESOURCES
