Metop – still state-of-the-art, 30 years on

Metop-C, scheduled for launch on 7 November (CET), is expected to enhance that impact because, for about three years, three of these satellites will be in orbit together, covering every point of our planet six times a day.

The concept for the Metop satellites was born almost 30 years ago but they, and the instruments they carry, remain state-of-the-art.

In the first of a series of videos we will publish in the lead up to the launch of Metop-C, representatives from the organisations behind this mission give an insight into its history, the satellite itself and the payload.

The Metop satellites are the space component of the EUMETSAT Polar System, which is Europe’s contribution to the Initial Joint Polar System shared with the United States.

The EPS mission is a truly international effort with benefits felt by citizens around the globe stemming from the provision of highly accurate data used by national meteorological services to improve weather forecast accuracy and climate monitoring.