MetOp Second Generation contracts signature

The contracts to build the family of MetOp Second Generation weather satellites were signed today, 16 October 2014, by Volker Liebig, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, and Eric Béranger, Head of Space Systems Programmes at Airbus Defence and Space. The ceremony took place at ESA’s headquarters in Paris and was also attended by Geneviève Fioraso, the French Minister for Higher Education and Research, Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA's Director General, Alain Ratier, Eumetsat’s Director-General and François Auque, Head of Space Systems at Airbus Defence and Space.

MetOp-SG, which consists of two series of satellites with three satellites in each series, is a collaborative undertaking between ESA and Eumetsat, and will provide Europe with essential meteorological observations from polar orbit from the early 2020’s to the mid-2040’s.