MetOp launch campaign resumed   The instruments have to be cleaned as part of the launch campaign activities. MetOp-A was launched on 19 October 2006 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, on a Soyuz ST rocket with a Fregat upper stage.   Activities concerning the maintenance and preparation of the solar array after the storage period are completed. MetOp-A was launched on 19 October 2006 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, on a Soyuz ST rocket with a Fregat upper stage.   MetOp-A will be launched on a Soyuz/ST Fregat rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Once MetOp has reached its orbital altitude of 800 km above the surface of the Earth and in the correct position, the solar array, which is on the zenith side of the satellite, is gently deployed to face the Sun. This procedure takes up to 17 minutes and happens in two stages. Initially, the solar array arm rotates 120° up and over. Then, the large eight-section panel opens out. Release date: 19 September 2006