No JavaScript detected Usage of this Website
will be severly limited without JavaScript. Please enable
JavaScript in your Browser.
Satellite:
Metop-A
Satellite details
Acronym
Metop-A
Full name
Meteorological operational satellite - A
Satellite Description
1st flight unit of the EPS programme.
Main mission: operational meteorology.
Substantial contribution to ocean and ice monitoring, climate monitoring, atmospheric chemistry, and space weather.
Mass at launch
4085 kg
Dry mass
3769 kg
Power
1810 W
Data access link
https://navigator.eumetsat.int/search?query=metop-a%20level-1&s=s
Data access information
Direct Broadcast (AHRPT): Real-time availability of AMSU-A, ASCAT. AVHRR, GOME-2, GRAS, HIRS/4, IASI, MHS, DCP messages and SEM/2 (MEDEP + TED). LRPT not available.
Near-real-time availability of extended-area coverage data by EARS. Near-real time availability of Level 1 data by EUMETCast.
Alert messages of S&RSAT to LUT in real time.
Orbit
Sunsynchronous orbit
Altitude
827 km
ECT
07:50 desc
Space agency
EUMETSAT
, ESA
Status
Inactive
Details on Status (as
available)
LRPT failed soon after launch, one AHRPT transmitter failed 6 months later.
Global data disseminated by EUMETCast became the primary dissemination system.
As of Sept 2008 the redundant AHRPT unit is utilised for a partial coverage, enabling the reception and retransmission of NRT data by EARS.
Operating as back-up / secondary in parallel with Metop-B since 24 April 2013.
For lifetime extension active orbit control has been suspended.
Officially retired on 15 November 2021.
Planned to be de-orbited in December 2021.
Launch
19 Oct 2006
EOL
15 Nov 2021
Last update:
2021-11-17
Associated satellite programme and related satellites
Note: red tag: no longer operational , green tag: operational ,
blue tag : future
Satellite Payload
All known Instruments flying on
Metop-A
Acronym
Full name
A-DCS
Advanced Data Collection System (also called "Argos-3")
AMSU-A
Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit - A
ASCAT
Advanced Scatterometer
AVHRR/3
Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer / 3
GOME-2
Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment - 2
GRAS
GNSS Receiver for Atmospheric Sounding
HIRS/4
High-resolution Infra Red Sounder / 4
IASI
Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer
MHS
Microwave Humidity Sounding
S&RSAT
Search & Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking System
SEM/MEPED
SEM / Medium energy proton detector
SEM/TED
SEM / Total Energy Detector
Show instrument status and calibration
Satellite payload
All known instruments flying on
Metop-A
* The information in this field is estimated or assumed
Telecommunication frequency or microwave sensing channel information Show expert details
Service
Dir or Mode
Frequency
Emission designator
Bandwidth
Polarisation
D/A
Data rate or Baseband
Comments
GDS
S-E
7800 MHz
63M0G1D
63000 kHz
RHCP
D
70000 kbps
Raw data
AHRPT
S-E
1701.3 MHz
4M50G1D
4500 kHz
RHCP
D
3500 kbps
High resolution data - not in use
AHRPT
S-E
1707 MHz
4M50G1D
4500 kHz
RHCP
D
3500 kbps
High resolution data - used part time
LRPT
S-E
137.1 MHz
150KG1D
150 kHz
RHCP
D
72 kbps
Selected data - not in use
LRPT
S-E
137.9125 MHz
150KG1D
150 kHz
RHCP
D
72 kbps
Selected data - backup, not in use
ADCS
E-S
401.585 MHz
10K0G7D
10 kHz
RHCP
D
0.4/4.8 kbps
DCP reports
ADCS
S-E
465.9875 MHz
1K00G1D
1 kHz
RHCP
D
0.2/0.4 kbps
DCP configuration control
S & RSAT
E-S
406.05 MHz
100KG1D
100 kHz
linear
D
2.4 kbps
Distress messages - beacon bandwidth: 3 kHz
S & RSAT
S-E
1544.5 MHz
200KG1D
200 kHz
linear
D
2.4 kbps
Distress messages to LUT
TC & Ranging
E-S
2053.4583 MHz
1M50G1D
1500 kHz
RHCP
D
2 kbps
Telecommand and ranging
TM
S-E
2230 MHz
2M00G1D
2000 kHz
RHCP
D
4.096 kbps
Telemetry
AMSU-A
passive
23800 MHz
270000 kHz
V
A
Water vapour channel
AMSU-A
passive
31400 MHz
180000 kHz
V
A
Window channel
AMSU-A
passive
50120 - 57620 MHz
N/R kHz
H or V
A
Oxygen band, 12 channels
AMSU-A
passive
89000 MHz
6000000 kHz
V
A
Window channel
MHS
passive
89000 MHz
2800000 kHz
V
A
Window channel
MHS
passive
157000 MHz
2800000 kHz
V
A
Weak water vapour channel
MHS
passive
179310 - 191310 MHz
N/R kHz
H or V
A
Water vapour band, 3 channels
ASCAT
active
5255 MHz
1000.0 kHz
-
A
C-band scatterometer