N° 17–2025: Media invitation: meet the new MetOp Second Generation and Sentinel-5 missions

25 March 2025

Journalists are invited to an exclusive behind-the-scenes opportunity on 8 April to see two exciting new missions up close in the cleanroom at Airbus’ facilities in Toulouse, France. Experts will offer insights into the first satellite of the all-new MetOp Second Generation mission, poised to revolutionise weather forecasting from polar orbit. The Copernicus Sentinel-5 mission will also be on show – an advanced instrument designed to deliver critical data on air pollutants, ozone, and climate-related gases embarked on the MetOp Second Generation-A1 satellite.

As the successor to the original MetOp mission, MetOp-SG is ready to take the reins. It will not only ensure the continued delivery of vital global observations from polar orbit but also enhance weather forecasting accuracy and climate evolution monitoring like never before.

With climate change driving more frequent and severe extreme weather events, precise and timely forecasting has never been more critical. According to a recent report from the UN World Meteorological Organization, over 150 of the most extreme weather events ever recorded occurred in 2024.

MetOp-SG consists of six satellites: three successive pairs made up of an A-type and a B-type satellite, which carry a host of different but complementary instruments. The satellite on show in Toulouse is the first MetOp-SG-A, which is due to be launched in the summer from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

As well as a suite of state-of-the art measuring instruments for weather forecasting and climate analysis, the A-type satellites also carry the Copernicus Sentinel-5 ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared and shortwave infrared to measure key air pollutants and climate-related gases.

The MetOp-SG mission has been developed thanks to the long-standing cooperation between ESA and Eumetsat. The prime contractor for the A-type satellite is Airbus Defence and Space in Toulouse.

The Copernicus Sentinel-5 mission is the result of close cooperation between ESA, the European Commission and Eumetsat. It was developed under the responsibility of ESA, by a consortium led by Airbus Defence and Space in Ottobrunn, Germany.

Programme

The event will take place on Tuesday 8 April 2025.

10:00–10:30: Registration and welcome coffee

10:30 –10:35: Welcome

10:35–10:45: Simonetta Cheli,Director of Earth Observation Programmes, ESA

10:45–10:50: Rüdiger Hartwich, Head of Institutional and German Programmes, Airbus

10:50–11:00: Paul Counet, Head of Strategy, Communication International Relations, Eumetsat

11:00–11:10: Hervé Marcille, MetOp-SG-A Project Manager, Airbus

11:10–11:15: Christoph D. Ehrhart, Sentinel-5 Project Manager, Airbus

11:15–11:25: Philippe Chambon,Team Manager for Numerical Weather Prediction, Météo France

11:25–11:35: Melanie Ades, CAMS Senior Scientist, expert in data assimilation, ECMWF

11:35-12:00: Q&A (with additional spokespeople)

12:00-15:30: Visits (in 4 groups) to the cleanroom to view and photograph the MetOp-SG satellite and opportunities for one-to-one interviews.

A buffet lunch will be provided in parallel to the cleanroom group tours.

Additional spokespeople and experts include:

Marc Loiselet, ESA,MetOp-SG sat A Project Manager
Didier Martin, ESA,Sentinel-5 Project Manager
Ben Veihelmann, ESA, Mission Scientist Sentinel-5
Thomas August, ESA, MetOp-SG Mission Scientist
Fran Martinez Fadrique, Eumetsat, MetOp-SG Programme Manager
Bojan Bojkov, Eumetsat,Head of Remote Sensing and Products
François Bermudo, CNES, IASI-NG Project Manager
Isabel Zerfowski, DLR, METImage Project Manager
Markus Huchler, Airbus, Metop-SG Programme Manager
Sophie Moraud, Airbus, IASI-NG Project Manager
Dirk Ballhause, Airbus, METImage Project Manager