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
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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In 2006, the launch of MetOp-A marked a new era in operational meteorology. It was Europe’s first weather satellite to orbit Earth from pole to pole, just over 800 km high, complementing the long-standing series of Meteosat satellites that hover 36 000 km above the equator in geostationary orbit. The programme comprises a series of three identical satellites carrying an array of instruments. The MetOp satellites are developed by ESA under a cooperation agreement to form the space segment of the Eumetsat Polar System. This system is Europe’s contribution to a multi-orbit polar system shared with the US NOAA agency.
The instrument package includes: Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A (AMSU-A), which measures the temperature of atmosphere; Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT), which measures surface wind speed over the ocean; Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR/3), which images clouds, the ocean and land surfaces; Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 (GOME-2), which profiles atmospheric ozone; Global Navigation Satellite System Receiver for Atmospheric Sounding (GRAS), which measures temperature of the upper troposphere and stratosphere; Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), measures temperature and humidity; Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS), which measures humidity; Space Environment Monitor (SEM), which measures charged particles; Advanced Data Collection (ARGOS), for location and dissemination of measurements.