Toulouse, France, 6 June 2025 – The first of the Airbus-manufactured MetOp Second Generation (MetOp-SG) weather and climate satellites is now en route to the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana.
The satellite departed Airbus’ cleanroom facilities in Toulouse and is being transported aboard the “Canopée” ship. The MetOp-SG A1 satellite, developed for EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites), is scheduled for launch in August 2025 aboard an Ariane 6 rocket.
The MetOp-SG programme comprises six satellites arranged in three sequential pairs: each consisting of one A-type and one B-type satellite. These satellites are equipped with a range of complementary instruments.
The A-type satellites focus on atmospheric sounding and imaging, while the B-type satellites carry instruments for microwave imaging and radar observations. Together, they will provide critical meteorological data continuity through the mid-2040s.