The launch marks the beginning of a new era in meteorology, with the spacecraft set to deliver significantly enhanced weather forecasting capabilities for years to come. “The successful launch of MetOp-SG A1 is a landmark moment for Europe and for global weather forecasting,” said Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus.
MetOp-SG A1 is the first of six satellites in the MetOp-SG programme, which will ensure the continuity and improvement of meteorological data from space into the mid-2040s. The programme features two types of satellites, three ‘A’ models equipped for atmospheric sounding and imaging, and three ‘B’ models for microwave imaging and radar observations.
The A1 satellite carries advanced instruments including the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer – Next Generation (IASI-NG), the METimage visible and infrared imager, a Microwave Sounder, a Radio Occultation Sounder, and the Multi-viewing, Multi-channel, Multi-polarisation Imager for improved aerosol and cloud monitoring. It also hosts the Copernicus Sentinel-5 instrument to measure trace gases and pollutants with unprecedented detail.
This mission is the result of extensive European cooperation involving EUMETSAT, ESA, the European Union’s Copernicus programme, the French Space Agency (CNES), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the UK Space Agency, and an Airbus-led industrial consortium. The A series satellites are built in Toulouse, France, and the B series in Friedrichshafen, Germany, each designed for an operational lifetime of 7.5 years.
Ariane 6, developed under ESA leadership with ArianeGroup as prime contractor, provided the launch. Arianespace managed launch operations from the Guiana Space Centre, including the integration and deployment of MetOp-SG A1 into orbit.
