MetOp

© EADS Astrium

MetOp is the next contribution to European weather satellite systems. A European Space Agency-Eumetsat joint project, MetOp is designed provide data for medium-term weather forecasts and long-term climate and environmental research.

MetOp-A, the first member of a new family of three European 4.5-tonne satellites designed to monitor the atmosphere from Low Earth Orbit, was launched from Kazakhstan on 19 October 2006. The next two MetOp satellites will be launched at five-year intervals. In total, the programme will be operational for at least 14 years, each satellite having an expected lifetime of five years.

Weather data will is dumped once per orbit, after which it is processed and then disseminated to users. Thus global coverage can be achieved every one to three days. Direct broadcast of data is also possible.

The satellites’ design is based on a version of the Envisat satellite’s Polar Platform, built by Astrium. In addition to its role as prime contractor for the MetOp satellites, Astrium is responsible for the entire integrated payload module and for two of the main instruments.

The new satellites will constitute the space segment of the Eumetsat Polar System (EPS), which is designed to study the atmosphere in great detail from a sun-synchronous orbit. They will complement the European Meteosat satellites, which are successfully operating in geostationary orbit, and will form part of an integrated system together with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in order to improve weather forecasting and climate monitoring on a global scale.