MetOp-SG B-Type Weather Satellite Set for 2026 Launch
The European Space Agency (ESA) is preparing to launch the MetOp-SG B1 satellite in 2026, marking a significant step in the MetOp-Second Generation (MetOp-SG) mission. This mission aims to ensure the continuity of global weather observations from polar orbit, crucial for weather forecasting and climate analysis.
The MetOp-SG mission consists of three successive pairs of satellites, each designed to operate in a sun-synchronous, quasi-polar orbit at approximately 832 kilometers altitude. These satellites complete about 14 orbits per day, providing enhanced revisit times over the poles and achieving global daily coverage.
The B-type satellites, weighing around 4,000 kilograms at launch, are equipped with five key instruments. These include a scatterometer for ocean-surface wind vectors and soil-moisture data, a radio occultation sounder for atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles, and a microwave imager for precipitation and sea-ice extent monitoring. Additionally, the Ice Cloud Imager provides data on ice-cloud properties, and the Argos-4 system collects location-based data from various platforms.
The MetOp-SG satellites are designed with a lifespan of 7.5 years, extendable to 9.5 years with consumables, ensuring continuous data delivery over more than 20 years through staggered launches. Notably, these satellites are the first ESA-developed platforms designed for controlled re-entry, with additional thrusters and fuel to de-orbit safely over the South Pacific Ocean at the end of their mission.