First MetOp-SG and Sentinel-5 arrive at launch site
Europe will soon be taking another leap forward in its weather forecasting capacity as the first MetOp Second Generation, MetOp-SG-A1, satellite arrives safely at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, marking a pivotal moment on the road to launch.
This new polar-orbiting weather satellite also carries the Copernicus Sentinel-5 instrument to deliver daily global data on air pollutants and other atmospheric trace gases.
Developed by ESA for Eumetsat, MetOp-SG-A1 is a state-of-the-art polar-orbiting satellite designed to significantly enhance weather forecasting and climate monitoring.
MetOp-SG-A1 arrived at Pariacabo harbour in Kourou on 17 June, completing a two-week transatlantic journey from France aboard a ship called the Canopée.
After being carefully offloaded, the satellite was transported to the launch site by lorry, and then transferred to the cleanroom facilities, where it will undergo final checks and testing.
Launch is scheduled for August on an Ariane 6 rocket.
"It was wonderful to see the Canopée ship arrive in the harbour and, once we'd opened the shipping container, it was even more wonderful to see the satellite again," said Marc Loiselet, ESA's MetOp-SG Project Manager.
"We need to do a thorough check, but so far this huge satellite looks to be in good health after its voyage."
MetOp-SG-A1 is the first of six satellites in the MetOp-SG series: three A-type and three B-type satellites, each carrying a unique but complementary set of instruments.
Operating as successive pairs in polar orbit, these satellites will deliver a continuous stream of global atmospheric data for more than two decades, supporting both short-term weather forecasts and long-term climate predictions.
Europe's weather-monitoring system is based on a dual-orbit strategy, with one satellite series in polar orbit and another in geostationary orbit.
The MetOp satellites circle Earth from pole to pole at a low altitude of 832 km, completing an orbit every 100 minutes. This allows for global coverage and higher-resolution observations multiple times per day.
The Meteosat satellites, positioned 36,000 km above the equator, are ideal for monitoring rapidly evolving weather patterns and supporting nowcasting and short-term forecasts.
However, their fixed position over the equator limits their ability to view the polar regions.
In fact, the second Meteosat Third Generation satellite, MTG-S1, is also due to launch soon.
The polar-orbiting MetOp-SG series is a significant advancement over the first MetOp generation, with improved instrument performance and expanded observational capabilities.
Between them, the A- and B-type satellites carry ten state-of-the-art instruments, blending heritage technology with innovative new systems.
The A-type satellites also carry the Copernicus Sentinel-5 spectrometer for the European Commission. This new instrument measure the distribution of atmospheric trace gases such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, formaldehyde, glyoxal, carbon monoxide, and methane, as well as aerosols and ultraviolet radiation.
The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service and the Copernicus Climate Change Service will use Sentinel-5 data for their information services that support environmental agencies in monitoring climate and air quality, and help authorities in related decision-making.
With the arrival at the launch site, MetOp-SG-A1 is now entering the final phase before liftoff ? a step that will further strengthen Europe's leadership in Earth observation and help build a more weather-resilient world.
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