Europe marks the commencement of a new era in meteorological forecasting with the successful launch of MetOp-SG A1 satellite.
The first of Europe's next-generation meteorological satellites, MetOp-SG A1, was successfully launched on August 13, 2025, from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana [1]. This significant event marks the start of a new era for weather forecasting, providing critical data for years to come.
MetOp-SG A1 plays a critical role in enhancing European weather forecasting accuracy and global meteorological data collection [3][5]. The satellite is part of the EUMETSAT Polar System – Second Generation (EPS-SG) program, consisting of paired 'A' and 'B' satellites carrying complementary instruments for atmospheric sounding and microwave imaging/radar data, guaranteeing long-term operational continuity and data richness [1][5].
Key aspects of MetOp-SG A1’s significance include:
- Advanced Instrumentation: It carries six sophisticated atmospheric sounding and imaging instruments generating optical, infrared, and microwave observations, which provide high-resolution data on temperature, precipitation, winds, clouds, sea ice, aerosols, pollution, soil moisture, and volcanic dust [1][2][3].
- Enhanced Weather Forecasting: The data improve short- and medium-term weather prediction models spanning forecasts from 12 hours up to 10 days ahead. This supports earlier and more accurate warnings for extreme weather such as storms and heatwaves, thereby protecting lives and property [3][5].
- Global and European Coverage: MetOp-SG A1’s polar orbit (~800 km altitude) enables global coverage with 14 orbits per day, delivering critical observations worldwide. It complements Europe’s Meteosat geostationary satellites, which provide constant regional coverage, giving a comprehensive view of atmospheric conditions [5].
- Support for Climate Monitoring and Environmental Applications: It carries the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel-5 mission instruments to monitor atmospheric composition, air pollutants, ozone, and climate-related gases, contributing to climate science and environmental policy [2][4][5].
- Economic and Societal Benefits: Enhanced forecasts help diverse users—farmers, energy grid operators, pilots, sailors—in managing resources and safety. The program promises a return on investment of at least 20:1 by supporting Europe’s economies and disaster preparedness [3][4].
MetOp-SG A1 was built by Airbus in Toulouse, France, with the B series satellites constructed at Airbus in Friedrichshafen, Germany [6]. Ariane 6, developed within the framework of the European Space Agency (ESA), was responsible for launching the MetOp-SG A1 satellite [4]. Arianespace, the launch service provider, oversaw launch operations from the Guiana Space Centre, including the integration and deployment of the MetOp-SG A1 satellite into orbit [7].
The advanced payload on MetOp-SG A1 includes the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer - Next Generation (IASI-NG), METimage visible and infrared imager, a Microwave Sounder, a Radio Occultation Sounder, and the Multi-viewing, Multi-channel, Multi-polarisation Imager [8].
The MetOp-SG A1 satellite was developed through a partnership between EUMETSAT, ESA, the European Union's Copernicus programme, CNES, DLR, the UK Space Agency, and an industrial consortium led by Airbus [9]. This collaboration ensures the continuity and enhancement of meteorological data from space into the mid-2040s [1][3][5].
References:
[1] European Space Agency (2025). MetOp-SG A1 Launch Marks Start of New Era for Weather Forecasting. [online] Available at: https://www.esa.int/news/2025/08/13/metopsg-a1-launch-marks-start-of-new-era-for-weather-forecasting
[2] EUMETSAT (2025). Copernicus Sentinel-5 Instrument on MetOp-SG A1. [online] Available at: https://www.eumetsat.int/website/home/About-EUMETSAT/Mission/Satellites/MetOp-Second-Generation/Copernicus-Sentinel-5-Instrument-on-MetOp-SG-A1
[3] European Commission (2025). MetOp-SG A1: A New Era for European Weather Forecasting. [online] Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/clima/news/metopsg-a1-new-era-european-weather-forecasting_en
[4] ArianeGroup (2025). Ariane 6 Launches MetOp-SG A1. [online] Available at: https://www.arianegroup.com/news/ariane-6-launches-metop-sg-a1
[5] Arianespace (2025). MetOp-SG A1: A New Generation of Meteorological Satellites. [online] Available at: https://www.arianespace.com/en/news/metop-sg-a1-new-generation-of-meteorological-satellites
[6] Airbus (2025). Building the MetOp-SG A1 Satellite. [online] Available at: https://www.airbus.com/space/projects/metop-sg/building-the-metop-sg-a1-satellite.html
[7] Arianespace (2025). Launch Operations for MetOp-SG A1. [online] Available at: https://www.arianespace.com/en/launchers/ariane-6/launch-operations-for-metop-sg-a1
[8] EUMETSAT (2025). MetOp-SG A1 Payload. [online] Available at: https://www.eumetsat.int/website/home/About-EUMETSAT/Mission/Satellites/MetOp-Second-Generation/MetOp-SG-A1-Payload
[9] EUMETSAT (2025). MetOp-SG Programme. [online] Available at: https://www.eumetsat.int/website/home/About-EUMETSAT/Mission/Satellites/MetOp-Second-Generation/MetOp-SG-Programme
