February 9, 2017
Satellite
Since 2006, IASI has been flying on MetOp satellites. IASI-NG will fly on MetOp-SG A Satellite. The MetOp-SG system envisions a pair of different satellites, flying in the same sun-synchronous orbit, each carrying a different but complementary suite of instruments. This will comprise a mix of instruments offering data continuity with improved performance and new instruments to meet the evolving demands of the meteorological community.
In addition to IASI-NG, the payload of the MetOp-SG satellites consists of the following instruments:
- METimage (Meteorological Imager), to provide information on clouds, cloud cover, land surface properties, sea, ice and land surface temperatures, etc. The instrument is provided by DLR
- MWS (MicroWave Sounder), to provide atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles
- SCA (Scatterometer), to provide ocean surface wind vectors and land surface soil moisture
- RO (Radio Occultation sounder), to provide atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles, as well as information about the ionosphere
- UVNS/S5 (Ultra-Violet /Visible/Near Infrared/Short Wave Infrared spectrometer -Sentinel-5), to monitor various trace gases, air quality and support climate monitoring
- MWI (MicroWave Imager), to provide precipitation monitoring as well as sea ice extent information
- ICI (Ice and Cloud Imager), to measure cloud ice water path, properties and altitude
- 3MI (Multi-viewing, Multi-channel, Multi-polarization Imager), to provide information on atmospheric aerosols
- DCS (Data Collection System) Argos-4, for the collection and transmission of observations and data from surface, buoy, ship, balloon or airborne data collection platforms. DCS is provided by NOAA and CNES.
The table below recalls the configuration of the 2 satellites:
| MetOp-SG-A | MetOp-SG-B | |
| Launch | ~2021 | ~2022 |
| Orbit, altitude | Sun synchronous orbit, 817 km | Sun synchronous orbit, 817 km |
| S/C mass | ~3,000 kg | ~2,400 kg |
| Lifetime | 8.5 years | 8.5 years |
| Sensor complement | 6 instruments | 5 instruments |
| METimage (DLR) | MWI: Microwave Imaging Radiometer (ESA) | |
| MWS: Microwave Sounder (ESA) | ICI: Ice Cloud Imager (ESA) | |
| IASI-NG: Infrared Atmospheric Sounder Interferometer-New Generation, (CNES) | SCA: Scatterometer, (ESA) | |
| RO: Radio Occultation, (ESA) | RO: Radio Occultation, (ESA) | |
| 3MI: Multi-view Multi-channel Multi-polarization Imager, (ESA) | Argos-4: Data Collection Service (NOAA/CNES) | |
| UVNS/Sentinel-5 (ESA/Copernicus) |
The MetOp-SG (MetOp Second Generation) series of satellites will provide data continuity and enhanced observations in the timeframe of 2020 to 2040.
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