Successful takeoff of the Ariane 6 European launcher from Guyana marks its second commercial mission.
The European meteorological satellite MetOp-SG-A1 has been launched into space on August 12, 2023, marking a significant step forward in weather forecasting and climate monitoring [1][2][3][4][5]. The satellite, built by Airbus Defence and Space, was the primary payload on the first commercial flight of Ariane 6, a European rocket that took off from the Kourou Space Center in French Guiana [1][2][3].
MetOp-SG-A1 is the first satellite of a new generation in polar orbit and carries six cutting-edge instruments that observe temperature, precipitation, winds, clouds, aerosols, and trace gases [1][2][3][4][5]. The satellite's improved data will support more accurate short-term weather forecasts and nowcasting, critical for public safety and economic activities [1][2][4][5].
The European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat) played key roles in the satellite's development [1][2][3][4]. The satellite's purpose is to ensure the continuity and enhancement of vital meteorological data into the mid-2040s [1][2][4][5].
MetOp-SG-A1's payload includes new-generation instruments such as the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer – Next Generation (IASI-NG), for detailed atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles, METimage, a visible and infrared imager, Microwave Sounder (MWS), Radio Occultation Sounder, Multi-viewing, Multi-channel, Multi-polarisation Imager (3MI), and the Copernicus Sentinel-5 mission instrument, delivering detailed data on atmospheric composition and pollutants affecting air quality [1][2][3][4][5].
The improved data from MetOp-SG-A1 will also provide deeper insights into climate processes, helping track pollution, greenhouse gases, and changes in the atmosphere linked to climate warming – especially important as Europe experiences warming nearly twice the global average [1][2][4][5].
With the successful launch of MetOp-SG-A1, Ariane 6 has demonstrated its reliability and capability, marking a significant milestone for the European space industry. David Cavailloles, the executive president of Arianespace, celebrated the third successful launch of Ariane 6 [1][2]. The launch rate for Ariane 6 is expected to increase over the months ahead, with a target of nine to ten launches per year [1].
The success of Ariane 6's launches is significant for the future activity at the Guiana Space Center. Ariane 6's order book now stands at 32 flights, ensuring years of activity for the facility [1]. Marc Loiselet, the project chief at the European Space Agency for MetOp-SG-A1, expressed enthusiasm about the launch, stating that the satellite's data will be vital for meteorological services, environmental monitoring, and climate science for decades [1].
References: [1] https://www.esa.int/ [2] https://www.eumetsat.int/ [3] https://www.airbus.com/ [4] https://www.arianespace.com/ [5] https://sentinels.copernicus.eu/web/sentinel/missions/metop-sg-a1
The satellite, MetOp-SG-A1, carries instruments for observing various aspects of the environment, including French environmental science, such as the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer – Next Generation (IASI-NG) for detailed atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles and the Copernicus Sentinel-5 mission instrument, delivering detailed data on atmospheric composition and pollutants affecting air quality.
The improved data from MetOp-SG-A1 will be instrumental in advancing space-and-astronomy and technology, particularly in understanding climate processes, tracking pollution, greenhouse gases, and changes in the atmosphere linked to climate warming – which is crucial given that Europe experiences warming nearly twice the global average.
