Subscribe with SteadyMETOP-SG-A 1, 2, 3 (Sentinel 5A, 5B, 5C)
METOP-SG-A [Airbus DS]
METOP-SG (Meteorological Operational - Second Generation) is Europe's second generation polar-orbiting operational meteorological satellite system to replace the first generation METOP satellites.
In October 2014, Airbus Defense and Space was selected to build these satellites. The Satellite A-series will be developed and built under the industrial lead of Airbus Defence and Space in Toulouse.
The METOP-SG Series consists of two subseries with three units in each series with different instrument suites: METOP-SG-A and METOP-SG-B. The Satellite A-series focuses on optical instruments and atmospheric sounders, while the Satellite B-series focuses on microwave instruments. Both types will be based on Airbus Defense and Spaces Astrobus high-power satellite platforms.
The METOP-SG-A series carries following instruments:
- Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI-NG) (CNES)
- Visible/Infrared Imager (METimage) (DLR)
- Microwave Sounder (MWS) (ESA)
- Radio Occultation (RO) (ESA)
- Multi-viewing, multi-channel, multi-polarisation Imager (3MI) (ESA)
- Sentinel-5 (Copernicus/ESA)
The first METOP-SG A was planned to be launched on a Soyuz-ST-B Fregat-MT rocket. Eventually all satellites will use the Ariane-62 launcher.
| Nation: | Europe |
|---|---|
| Type / Application: | Meteorology |
| Operator: | ESA, EUMETSAT |
| Contractors: | Airbus Defense and Space |
| Equipment: | |
| Configuration: | ? |
| Propulsion: | |
| Power: | Deployable solar array, batteries |
| Lifetime: | 7.5 years |
| Mass: | 4040 kg (#1) |
| Orbit: | SSO |
| Satellite | COSPAR | Date | LS | Launch Vehicle | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| METOP-SG-A 1 (Sentinel 5A) | 2025-172A | 13.08.2025 | Ko ELA-4 | Ariane-62 | ||
| METOP-SG-A 2 (Sentinel 5B) | - | 2033 | Ko ELA-4 | Ariane-62 | ||
| METOP-SG-A 3 (Sentinel 5C) | - | 2039 | Ko ELA-4 | Ariane-62 |
Launch Sites:
- Ko = Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG), Kourou, French Guiana, France
