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.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
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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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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 kilometres above the surface of the Earth, MetOp's range of European and American instruments will provide a wealth of accurate and detailed information to meteorologists and scientists around the world.
MetOp-A was launched on 19 October 2006 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, on a Soyuz ST rocket with a Fregat upper stage.