![]() MetOp Second Generation A-type satellite | |
Mission type | Meteorology/Earth observation |
---|---|
Operator | ESA, EUMETSAT |
Website | MetOp-SG (ESA) Sentinel-5 (ESA) |
Mission duration | Planned: 7. 5 years [1] |
Spacecraft properties | |
Spacecraft type | MetOp-SG |
Manufacturer | Airbus Defence and Space |
Launch mass | 4,040 kg (8,910 lb) [2] |
Start of mission | |
Launch date | 13 August 2025, 00:37 UTC |
Rocket | Ariane 62 (VA264) |
Launch site | Kourou ELA-4 |
Contractor | Arianespace |
Orbital parameters | |
Reference system | Geocentric |
Regime | SSO [3] |
MetOp-SG A1/Sentinel-5A is a European meteorology and Earth observation satellite. It is the first of three satellites in the Sentinel-5 constellation, part of the European Union's Copernicus programme on Earth observation and also first of six MetOp-SG satellites. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
In January 2025, ESA signed a contract with Arianespace to launch the satellite in the August 2025 on Ariane 6. [11] On 13 August 2025, MetOp-SG A1 with Sentinel-5A has launched into space on Ariane 62 L6003. [12]
Less than three weeks after launch, EUMETSAT received and processed initial data from two instruments: the Microwave Sounder (MWS) and Radio Occultation Sounder (RO). [13] [14] On 15 September 2025, EUMETSAT has released the first images captured by the Multiviewing multichannel multipolarisation imager (3MI) on 28 August over the Mediterranean showing cloud structures over Italy and wildfire smoke near Greece. [15] On 07 October 2025, EUMETSAT has released the first Earth images from the satellite's METimage instrument, including an image of Hurricane Humberto. [16] [17]