Metop Second Generation A1 satellite due to lift off at 02:37 CEST on the morning of 13 August
Watch live as the first satellite of the Metop Second Generation series is launched from the European Spaceport in Kourou on board an Ariane-62 rocket
Extreme weather has cost Europe hundreds of billions of euros and tens of thousands of lives over the past 40 years. The launch of Metop-SGA1 is a major step forward in giving national weather services in our member states and beyond sharper tools to save lives, protect property and build resilience against the climate crisis.
Last Updated
11 August 2025
Published on
11 August 2025
Watch events unfold live as Metop-SGA1, the first satellite in the second generation of Metop polar orbiting satellites, is launched from the European Spaceport in Kourou on board an Ariane-62 rocket. Live coverage from Kourou will start at (approx) 02.10 CEST.
The Metop Second Generation series satellites will further Metop’s role as the single most important source of meteorological observations for forecasts 12 hours to 10 days ahead, until the mid-2040s. The data they provide will help to save lives, protect economies, and support services that improve the wellbeing of people across Europe and beyond.
The launch is the culmination of years of teamwork across EUMETSAT, the European Space Agency (ESA), the EU, CNES (French Space Agency), DLR (German Space Agency), Airbus, Thales Alenia Space, and many others. It marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in Earth observation.
