Overview   MetOp-A is Europe's first polar orbiting satellite dedicated to operational meteorology, and with its contribution to the American Polar Orbiting Environmental Satellite (POES) Programme it marks a new era in global weather prediction and climate monitoring. From its polar orbit 800 km above the surface of Earth, MetOp's range of 13 American and European instruments provides a wealth of accurate and detailed information to meteorologists and scientists around the world.   Hurricane Katrina, 28 August 2005 - image from NOAA-15 (AVHRR). Last update: 2 April 2012