CEOS EO HANDBOOK – INSTRUMENT SUMMARY - MSI (Sentinel-2) -
Full Name Multi-Spectral Instrument (Sentinel-2) Status Operational
Instrument Agencies ESA, COM Maturity
Instrument Type High resolution optical imagers Geometry Push-broom scanning
Instrument Technology High resolution optical imager Sampling Imaging
Data Access Open Access Data Format
Measurements and Applications Optical high spatial resolution imagery over land and coastal areas for GMES operational services.
Resolution Summary 10 m for 4 bands in VNIR, 60 m for 3 dedicated atmospheric correction bands, 20 m for remaining bands
[Best Resolution: 10m]
Swath Summary 290 km
[Max Swath: 290 km]
Accuracy Summary Absolute radiometric accuracy for Level 1C data: 3 - 5%
Waveband Summary 13 bands in the VNIR-SWIR
VIS (~0.40 µm - ~0.75 µm)
SWIR (~1.3 µm - ~3.0 µm)
Instrument Measurements
Measurements Overview
CategoryParameter
Albedo and reflectancePhotosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR)
Fraction of Absorbed PAR (FAPAR)
Earth surface albedo
Multi-purpose imagery (land)Fire fractional cover
Land surface imagery
Radiation budgetUpwelling (Outgoing) spectral radiance at TOA
VegetationNormalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI)
Leaf Area Index (LAI)
Vegetation type
Land cover
Soil type
Thematic Links Global Climate Observing System Essential Climate Variables (GCOS ECVs)
ECVDescriptionProduct(s)ECV Inventory 3.0 Record(s)
Albedo click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Fire click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR) click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Land cover click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Leaf Area Index (LAI) click here click here search ECV Inventory records
Instrument Missions
Sentinel-2 A - Sentinel-2 A (2015 - 2025)
Sentinel-2 B - Sentinel-2 B (2017 - 2027)
Sentinel-2 C - Sentinel-2 C (2024 - 2034)
Sentinel-2 D - Sentinel-2 D (2028 - 2038)