Teledyne Technologies (NYSE: TDY) Space Imaging supplied imaging sensors aboard two European Space Agency (ESA) Earth observation satellites that launched together on a Vega C rocket from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.

Sentinel-3C, the third satellite in the Sentinel-3 series, carries five CCD55-20 detectors supplied by Teledyne for its Ocean and Land Colour Instrument. The back-illuminated, frame transfer CCDs are designed for hyperspectral imaging in the visible to near-infrared range and will support ocean color mapping, vegetation cover monitoring, and land-use observation. Sentinel-3C is expected to eventually replace Sentinel-3A, which launched in 2016, ensuring continuity of data from the program. The satellites are operated by EUMETSAT as part of the EU's Copernicus Earth observation program.

The Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX) satellite launched alongside Sentinel-3C. Teledyne supplied three CCD325 detectors for FLEX's Fluorescence Imaging Spectrometer, which images in the spectral range of 0.5 to 0.78 µm. The sensors are designed to measure fluorescent signals emitted by plants during photosynthesis, providing data on plant health, photosynthetic efficiency, and stress levels. The measurements will also serve as an indicator of how much carbon dioxide vegetation removes from the atmosphere.

Tracy Phillips, Principal Project Manager of the CCD325 at Teledyne Space Imaging, said the mission "will give scientists a new way to observe the process of photosynthesis and understand the movement of carbon between plants and our atmosphere."

Elinor Mitchell, Product Engineering Team Leader of the CCD55-20 at Teledyne Space Imaging, said the technology will "play a vital role in helping support ocean forecasting systems, environmental monitoring and observing changes in atmospheric composition."

According to a press release from Teledyne, the company's space imaging heritage spans more than 250 space projects for agencies including NASA, ESA, JAXA, and KASA.