05/08/2025
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As preparations to launch Europe’s first MetOp Second Era, MetOp-SG-A1, satellite tv for pc proceed on monitor, the crew at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, has bid a heartfelt farewell to this treasured satellite tv for pc because it was sealed from view throughout the Ariane 6 rocket’s fairing.
This all-new climate satellite tv for pc, which hosts the primary Copernicus Sentinel-5 instrument, is about to take to the skies on 13 August at 02:37 CEST (12 August 21:37 Kourou time).
Since its arrival on the spaceport in mid-June, MetOp-SG-A1 has been present process all that it takes to get it prepared for liftoff. This contains an enormous variety of cautious checks to make sure all its elements are in good working order, the hazardous activity of loading the satellite tv for pc with virtually 800 kg of extremely risky gasoline, and becoming a member of the satellite tv for pc to the launch adapter.
And now, the satellite tv for pc has been sealed contained in the rocket fairing – a key milestone that marks the tip of hands-on work for the crew, and all the time an emotional second.
ESA’s MetOp-SG Venture Supervisor, Marc Loiselet, stated, “I have been engaged on this mission since 2012 and managed the event and construct of this satellite tv for pc over the previous two years, so this second is very poignant. None of us will truly see the satellite tv for pc – the fairing is not going to be opened till three minutes 30 seconds after liftoff as MetOp-SG is taken into orbit round Earth.”
Nick Goody, ESA’s MetOp-SG-A1 Launch Marketing campaign Supervisor, added, “From this level on we monitor the satellite tv for pc’s setting contained in the protecting fairing and carry out checks to make sure we are able to configure and monitor the satellite tv for pc on launch day. The thrill for launch is constructing daily now.”
MetOp-SG-A1 is the primary in a sequence of three successive pairs of satellites. It will likely be adopted by its companion satellite tv for pc, MetOp-SG-B1, subsequent 12 months.
The mission as an entire not solely ensures the continued supply of worldwide observations from polar orbit for climate forecasting and local weather evaluation for greater than 20 years, but in addition affords enhanced accuracy and determination in comparison with the unique MetOp mission – together with new measurement capabilities to develop its scientific attain.
Every MetOp-SG pair is made up of an A-type and a B-type satellite tv for pc that carry a special, however complementary, suite of exceptional devices. The bundle totals ten totally different devices throughout each satellites, a few of that are primarily based on the sound heritage of the primary MetOp sequence, and a few of that are fully new.
The A-type satellites, the primary of which is the soon-to-launch MetOp-SG-A1, carry six devices: a next-generation infrared atmospheric sounder, a microwave sounder, a multispectral imaging radiometer, a novel multiviewing, multichannel, multipolarisation imager, a radio occultation sounder (which can also be launched into the MetOp-SG-B satellites), and the European Fee’s Copernicus Sentinel-5 spectrometer.
Constructing on the success of the Copernicus Sentinel-5 Precursor satellite tv for pc, the brand new Copernicus Sentinel-5 introduces a complicated imaging spectrometer. The primary of those cutting-edge devices, Sentinel-5A, is built-in into MetOp-SG-A1, and can work in synergy with different onboard devices.
Sentinel-5 delivers each day world knowledge on key air pollution, important local weather variables, and stratospheric ozone that protects us from ultraviolet radiation.
ESA’s Sentinel-5 Venture Supervisor, Didier Martin, stated, “Encapsulation within the rocket fairing additionally marks an necessary milestone for Sentinel-5 after all, and we too bid farewell to this new instrument – and now our focus may be very a lot on the launch subsequent week.”
The MetOp Second Era mission is due to the long-standing cooperation between ESA and Eumetsat, the place ESA is answerable for designing and constructing the satellites, and Eumetsat procures the launch companies, develops the bottom phase, operates the satellites and supplies the info to the worldwide meteorological person neighborhood over at the least the following 20 years.
The Copernicus Sentinel-5 mission is the results of shut cooperation between ESA, the European Fee, Eumetsat, business, service suppliers and knowledge customers.
