The MetOp-SG-A1 satellite is now in orbit!

On the night of 12 to 13 August, Ariane 6’s second commercial mission launched the European observation satellite MetOp-SG-A1 (Second Generation A1) into orbit for the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). This satellite (the first of the second generation of European observation satellites) will take over the essential global observations and enable more accurate weather forecasts and a greater understanding of the atmosphere and climate than ever before.

MetOp-SG-A1 carries six instruments dedicated to imaging and atmospheric sounding. They will collect data in the visible, infrared and microwave ranges, which are essential not only for weather forecasting and climate monitoring, but also for many other services and applications.

Among them is the IASI-NG (New Generation Atmospheric Interferometer for Infrared Sounding) instrument. The successor to the IASI instrument, it will use infrared remote sensing to determine temperature and water vapour profiles in the atmosphere, the surface temperature of oceans and continents, and to monitor a wide range of chemical compounds as well as 16 variables essential for climate study, which can only be observed from space: greenhouse gases, desert dust, clouds, etc. This innovative instrument will provide data that is twice as accurate as its predecessor! The French scientific community and Météo-France have contributed significantly to the development of the instrument, while CNES is responsible for its technical aspects.

The AERIS atmospheric data and services centre will distribute Level 2 data from the new IASI-NG instrument to the scientific community. Data from the old IASI instrument is available through the dedicated portal.