Mid-August will mark the launch of the first MetOp-Second Generation (MetOp-SG) polar-orbiting European weather satellite aboard an Ariane 6 rocket from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana.
Built by Airbus Defence and Space, the satellite will carry Beyond Gravity's state-of-the-art radio occultation instrument to deliver high-precision humidity and temperature data, enhancing global weather forecasting and climate monitoring until 2050.
Beyond Gravity also supplied the satellite's six-meter-high carbon fiber structure, thermal insulation to protect against -200°C space temperatures, and multiple Ariane 6 components.
The top of the Ariane 6 rocket consists of the payload fairing from Beyond Gravity made of carbon fiber composite, measuring 5.4 meters in diameter. It protects the satellite from the harsh forces experienced during launch and early flight stages.
Additional contributions by Beyond Gravity include the payload adapter system, high-temperature insulation for rocket engines, and a gimbal mechanism for upper-stage thrust control.
The MetOp-SG mission will comprise six satellites in total, ensuring continuous polar-orbit weather data that complements Europe's geostationary Meteosat satellites for improved accuracy in forecasting extreme weather events.
The first launch features an A-type satellite equipped with additional Copernicus Sentinel-5 instruments for air quality and climate gas monitoring.
Source: www.beyondgravity.com
