The Copernicus Sentinel-6A mission, which carries a radar altimeter to observe changes in sea-surface topography, is slated to launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, in November aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Credit: ESA

WASHINGTON — Thales Alenia Space of France and Italy won the largest share of prime contracts the European Space Agency awarded July 1 for further development of six new Copernicus satellite missions.

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Brian Berger is editor in chief of SpaceNews.com and the SpaceNews magazine. He joined SpaceNews.com in 1998, spending his first decade with the publication covering NASA. His reporting on the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia accident was recognized with...