MetOp-A

ESA and EUMETSAT jointly developed the MetOp-A satellite, which was launched in October 2006 and defines the space segment of the EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS). Two additional platforms of the MetOp series are to follow at 4-5 year intervals, thereby assuring high-quality data until at least 2020. This is also facilitated because the MetOp series satellites are equipped with almost identical instruments. Together with the NOAA-18 satellite, which circles the earth in an afternoon polar orbit—the local overflight time in the descending node is 2 pm—MetOp-A makes it possible to comprehensively monitor the weather worldwide from earth orbit.

Table: MetOp-A Mission Parameters

Dimensions	17.6 m × 6.7 m × 5.4 m
Total mass	4.1 t
Layload	930 kg
Number of instruments	8 (5 Europa / 3 USA)
Launcher	Soyuz-ST Fregat
Launch	October 19, 2006

Table: MetOp-A Orbit Parameters

Semi-major axis	7189 km
Orbit altitude (mean)	817 km
Inclination angle	98.7°
Orbital period	101.3 min
Orbit	polar, sun synchronous
Overflight time	09:30 am
Orbits per day	14.2
Revisit	29 days

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