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MetOp
European Space Agency

Mission introduction


Principle of the Joint Polar System operations
 
Principle of the Joint Polar System operations
 
 
MetOp-1 will be Europe's first operational polar-orbiting weather satellite. It replaces one of two satellite services operated by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
 
 
 MetOp will carry a set of 'heritage' instruments provided by the United States and a new generation of European instruments that offer improved remote sensing capabilities to both meteorologists and climatologists. The new instruments will augment the accuracy of:
  • temperature and humidity measurements
  • wind speed and wind direction measurements, especially over the ocean
  • profiles of ozone in the atmosphere

The present plan is to launch three MetOp satellites sequentially to maintain the service for at least 14 years, starting in 2006.
 
 
  
Last update: 21 December 2005


Related links

 •    (http://www.eumetsat.de/)
 •   NOAA (http://www.noaa.gov)
 •  TIROS (http://www.earth.nasa.gov/history/tiros/tiros.html)