Metop A Spot

Metop series

 

Polar-orbiting satellites providing global data for weather forecasts up to 10 days and climate monitoring

Metop A Spot
Metop A Spot

Metop satellites provide detailed global observations of the atmosphere, oceans and land

Last Updated

29 November 2022

Published on

15 April 2020

EUMETSAT operates Europe’s Metop-B and –C satellites, which circle the globe via the poles and continuously collect data from an altitude of 817 km.

The satellites carry a payload of eight main instruments and the data they collect are essential for weather forecasting up to 10 days ahead and climate monitoring.

The Metop satellites and the ground segment collectively form the EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS), which is Europe’s contribution to the Initial Joint Polar System shared with NOAA.

Metop Second Generation - A new era in weather and climate monitoring

Metop’s valuable contributions will continue into the 2040s with the advent of Metop-Second Generation (Metop-SG) from mid-2020s onwards.

The Metop-SG A and Metop-SG B satellites will operate in three successive pairs and carry enhanced (e.g. IASI-NG) and new instruments (e.g. 3MIMWI and ICI), and the Copernicus Sentinel-5 instrument.

Facts and figures

    • Metop-SG B1

      • Planned Launch date:
      • Q4 2025
      • Details:
      • 823–848 km, Microwave imaging and sounding, SCA, MWI, ICI, RO, ADCS-4
    • Metop-SG B2

      • Planned Launch date:
      • 2032
      • Details:
      • 823–848 km, Microwave imaging and sounding, SCA, MWI, ICI, RO, ADCS-4
    • Metop-SG B3

      • Planned Launch date:
      • 2039
      • Details:
      • 823-848 km, Microwave imaging and sounding, SCA, MWI, ICI, RO, ADCS-4
    • Metop-A

      • Launch date:
      • 19/10/2006
      • Retirement date:
      • 30/11/2021
      • Details:
      • Provision of global and regional data service, with a limited direct readout capability

Latest Metop product releases

spinner loading