MetOp B

Spacecraft nº:

ESA spacecraft nº: 78

Launch data: Designation  38771 / 12049A Launch date  17 Sept 2012 - 16:28 UT Launch site  Baik, LC-31/6 Launch vehicle  Soyuz-2-1a Fregat Mission  Govern: Meteorology (Weather) Polar LEO Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  819 x 822 km Eccentricity  2,09E-04 Inclination  98.7 deg Period  101.3 min

Spacecraft data:

Description:

• METOP (Meteorological Operational) is Europe's first polar-orbiting operational meteorological satellite. It is the European contribution to the Initial Joint Polar System (IJPS), a co-operative agreement between Eumetsat and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide data for climate and environmental monitoring and improved weather forecasting.
• The Metop system will deliver valuable information on the atmosphere, land masses and sea surfaces for about 14 years; both during the day and at night. The satellites' main task is to measure the temperature and humidity of the atmosphere, but they will also observe clouds, measure the wind speed on the sea surface and monitor the ozone content of the atmosphere. Metop will also be able to collect data from ground and sea-based measuring stations and transmit rescue signals.
• METOP will feature following instruments:
  • A/DCS (Advanced Data Collection System)
  • AMSU (Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit)
  • ASCAT (advanced scatterometer)
  • AVHRR/3 (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer)
  • GOME-2 (Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment–2)
  • GRAS (GNSS receiver for atmospheric sounding)
  • HIRS/4 (High Resolution Infrared Sounder)
  • IASI (Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer)
  • MHS (Microwave Humidity Sounder)
  • SARP/3 (Search And Rescue Processor)
  • SARR (Search And Rescue Repeater)
  • SEM-2 (Space Environmental Monitor)

Mission details:

• The European weather satellite agency EUMETSAT's second METOP satellite, METOP B, was launched from Baykonur on Sep 17, 2012. The Soyuz-2-1a launch vehicle's upper stage, Fregat No. 1037, placed the satellite in a 805 x 809 km x 98.7 deg, 0928LTDN sun-synchronous orbit. The Soyuz third stage was suborbital.