Fregat separation

MetOp-A has been launched on a Soyuz/ST Fregat rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Once close to its orbital altitude, the spacecraft is orientated by the Fregat upper-stage to ensure that it is in a circular orbit. The Fregat is then released leaving the MetOp satellite in its polar orbit 800 km above the surface of the Earth.