The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
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Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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From MetOp's polar orbit, the IASI instrument observes the Earth up to an angle of 48.5° perpendicular to both sides of the satellite track corresponding to a swath of about 2 000 kilometres on the ground. Each sample is made up of four circular pixels with a maximum diameter of 12 kilometres at nadir. One swathe achieves 30 equally spaced Earth views (and two calibration views). The incoming radiation is measured in three spectral bands. Band one (15.5 to 8.26 microns) contributes mainly to retrievals of temperature profiles and ozone, band two (8.26 to 5 microns) contributes to retrievals of humidity and some trace gases and band three (5 to 3.62) contributes to retrievals of temperature and some trace gases.
MetOp-A was launched on 19 October 2006 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, on a Soyuz ST rocket with a Fregat upper stage.