BackForward 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
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