Image of the week: Metop Second Generation satellite in the spotlight

Watching our Earth from space

This week’s image of the week is of the Metop Second Generation A1 and Copernicus Sentinel-5 satellite. Launching in August this year, Metop-SGA1 will be the first of the next generation of Metop polar-orbiting weather satellites.

Last Updated

08 April 2025

Published on

08 April 2025

The Metop-SGA1 satellite will host a total of six atmospheric sounding and imaging instrument missions that will provide optical, infrared, and microwave observations.

This payload includes the Copernicus Sentinel-5 mission – the Ultraviolet, Visible, Near-Infrared and Short Wave Infrared Sounder – which will deliver detailed measurements of atmospheric composition and trace gases in the atmosphere in synergy with other instruments on board the spacecraft.

The satellite was on view this week for European media representatives during a clean room visit at Airbus Defence and Space in Toulouse, France.

Metop-SG Image

For further updates on Metop-SGA1, visit EUMETSAT’s launch hub, which will be updated regularly with news, interviews and other insights into the satellite’s journey towards its working orbit at around 823-848 km above the Earth.