MetOp-SG

{{Short description|European meteorological satellites}}

{{Infobox spacecraft class

| name = Meteorological Operational Satellite - Second Generation

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| manufacturer = Airbus Defence and Space

| designer = European Space Agency

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| operator = EUMETSAT

| applications = Meteorology

| spacecraft_type = Satellite

| spacecraft_bus = Astrobus

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| design_life = 7.5 years

| launch_mass = ~4 tonnes

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| orbits = 831 km Sun-synchronous orbit

| status = Under Construction

| built = 2

| orders = 6

| launched = 0

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| previous = MetOp

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}}

MetOp-SG (Meteorological Operational Satellite - Second Generation) is a series of six meteorological satellites developed by European Space Agency and EUMETSAT to be launched from 2025 to 2039.{{cite web |url=https://www.eumetsat.int/our-satellites/metop-series?sjid=future |title=Metop series – Future Satellites |work=EUMETSAT |date=21 November 2022 |access-date=21 November 2022}}

Development

In May 2014 during ILA Berlin Air Show, in a presence of chancellor Angela Merkel, ESA, EUMETSAT and Airbus Defence and Space signed the first documents for the development of second generation of the MetOp satellites. {{cite web|url=http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Observing_the_Earth/The_Living_Planet_Programme/Meteorological_missions/Taking_weather_forecasting_into_the_future|title=Taking weather forecasting into the future|publisher=ESA|date=20 May 2014|access-date=25 October 2014}} On 16 October 2014 contract was signed with Airbus Defence and Space for a construction of the satellites, worth {{Euro|1.3 billion}} in total for six spacecraft (on average {{Euro|266.7 million}} each).{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=44205|title=Airbus Defence and Space Signs MetOp-SG Meteorological Satellites Prime Contract with ESA|publisher=SpaceRef|date=16 October 2014|access-date=25 October 2014}}

In December 2014 additional contracts were signed for Ice Cloud Imagers to be used on B-series satellites and three microwave sounder instruments.{{cite news|url=http://airbusdefenceandspace.com/newsroom/news-and-features/airbus-defence-and-space-signs-contract-for-microwave-sounder-instruments/|title=Airbus Defence and Space signs contract for Microwave Sounder instruments|publisher=Airbus Defence and Space|date=9 December 2014|access-date=1 June 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://airbusdefenceandspace.com/newsroom/news-and-features/airbus-defence-and-space-selected-for-ici-instruments-for-the-metop-sg-satellites/|title=Airbus Defence and Space selected for ICI instruments for the MetOp-SG satellites |publisher=Airbus Defence and Space|date=8 December 2014|access-date=1 June 2015}}

MetOp-SG satellites will be built in two series: A, carrying visible, infrared, and microwave imagers and sounders; and B, carrying microwave imagers and radars. The first A-series satellite will be launched in early 2025, while the first B-series satellite will be launched in 2026 using the Ariane 6 rocket.

MetOp-SG satellites are a follow on from the three MetOp satellites and there are plans to perform a short tandem mission between the MetOp-SG-A1 and MetOp-C satellites to cross calibration old and new instruments. A later tandem mission may also be possible between MetOp-SG-A1 and FORUM satellites in the future.

References

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