Metop (Meteorological Operational satellite) is a series of three polar-orbiting meteorological satellites developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and operated by the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). The satellites form the space segment component of the overall EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS), which in turn is the European half of the EUMETSAT / NOAA Initial Joint Polar System (IJPS). The satellites carry a payload comprising 11 scientific instruments and two which support Cospas-Sarsat Search and Rescue services. In order to provide data continuity between Metop and NOAA Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES), several instruments are carried on both fleets of satellites.
Metop-A, launched on 19 October 2006, was Europe's first polar orbiting satellite used for operational meteorology. With respect to its primary mission of providing data for Numerical Weather Prediction, studies have shown that Metop-A data was measured as having the largest impact of any individual satellite platform on reducing 24-hour forecasting errors, and accounted for about 25% of the total impact on global forecast error reduction across all data sources.[1] A 2023 report updated this estimate stating that the primary Metop satellite has decreased in relative terms since 2011 from 24.5% to 11.15% in the FSOI metric. (The social and economic benefits of EPS-Aeolus and EPS-Sterna). [2]
Each of the three satellites were originally intended to be operated sequentially, however good performance of the Metop-A and Metop-B satellites mean there was a period of all three satellite operating. EUMETSAT lowered the orbit of Metop-A and decommissioned the spacecraft in November 2021 [3]
The successor to the Metop satellites will be MetOp-SG, currently with the first MetOp SG-A satellite expected to be launched in 2025.[4]
| |
| Organization: | EUMETSAT |
| Mission type: | Meteorology / Climatology |
| Satellite of: | Earth |
| Metop-A Launch: | 19 October 2006 at 16:28:00 UTC |
| Soyuz ST Fregat | |
| Baikonur Cosmodrome | |
| Metop-B Launch: | 17 September 2012 at 16:28:00 UTC |
| Soyuz ST Fregat | |
| Baikonur Cosmodrome | |
| Metop-C Launch: | 7 November 2018 at 00:47:27 UTC |
| Soyuz ST Fregat | |
| Guiana Space Centre | |
| Dimensions: | 6.2 x 3.4 x 3.4 metres (under the launcher fairing) 17.6 x 6.5 x 5.2 metres (deployed in orbit) |
| Wet Mass: | 4093 kg with 320 kg of hydrazine |
| Payload Mass: | 812 kg |
| Webpage: | [1] |
| Orbital elements | |
|---|---|
| Orbit: | Sun-synchronous orbit |
| Inclination: | 98.7° to the equator |
| Orbital period: | 101.0 minutes |
| Ground Track Repeat Cycle: | 29 Days / 412 Orbits |
| Mean Altitude: | 817 km |
| Local Time of Ascending Node: | 21:30 |
| Metop-A International Designator: | 2006-044A |
| Metop-B International Designator: | 2012-049A |
| Metop-C International Designator: | 2018-087A |
- ^ Joo, Sangwon; Eyre, John; Marriott, Richard (October 2013). "The Impact of Metop and Other Satellite Data within the Met Office Global NWP System Using an Adjoint-Based Sensitivity Method". Monthly Weather Review. 141 (10): 3331–3342. Bibcode:2013MWRv..141.3331J. doi:10.1175/mwr-d-12-00232.1. ISSN 0027-0644.
- ^ "The social and economic benefits of EPS-Aeolus and EPS-Sterna" (PDF). Retrieved 16 September 2024.
- ^ "Plans for Metop-A end of life | EUMETSAT". 13 December 2018.
- ^ "EUMETSAT Polar System - Second Generation". EUMETSAT. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2020.