Arianespace Launches Metop-SGA1 with Ariane 6 to Advance European Climate and Weather Monitoring

Arianespace Launches Metop-SGA1 with Ariane 6 to Advance European Climate and Weather Monitoring

(IN BRIEF) Arianespace will launch EUMETSAT’s Metop-SGA1 satellite on August 12, 2025, via Ariane 6 from Kourou, marking the second commercial mission for Europe’s new heavy-lift launcher. Metop-SGA1, the first in a new generation of European polar-orbiting weather satellites, will carry six advanced instruments including the Copernicus Sentinel-5 atmospheric mission. Designed to improve forecasting and climate observation, it will gather vital environmental data from an 800 km Sun-Synchronous Orbit. Built by Airbus Defence and Space for ESA, the satellite will be managed and operated by EUMETSAT, reinforcing Europe’s leadership in Earth observation and autonomous space capability.

(PRESS RELEASE) ÉVRY-COURCOURONNES, 28-Jul-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Arianespace is set to launch EUMETSAT’s Metop-SGA1 satellite aboard an Ariane 6 rocket on August 12, 2025, from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. This mission, designated VA264, marks the third flight of Ariane 6 and its second commercial operation, strengthening Europe’s strategic access to space.

Scheduled for liftoff at 9:37 p.m. local time (00:37 a.m. UTC, 2:37 a.m. CEST on August 13), the launch will place Metop-SGA1 into a Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO) at an altitude of approximately 800 kilometers. The satellite is expected to separate from the launcher 1 hour and 4 minutes after take-off.

Metop-SGA1 (Second Generation A1) is the first satellite of a new series of European polar-orbiting weather missions. It carries six state-of-the-art instruments for atmospheric sounding and imaging, spanning optical, infrared, and microwave spectrums. Among these is the Copernicus Sentinel-5 payload, a key component of the European Commission’s Copernicus Earth observation programme, focused on atmospheric composition monitoring.

This next-generation satellite will significantly enhance global weather forecasting and climate analysis by collecting high-resolution data on various environmental parameters including temperature, rainfall, wind, sea ice, clouds, aerosols, pollution, soil moisture, and volcanic activity.

Constructed by Airbus Defence and Space under a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA), Metop-SGA1 will be operated by EUMETSAT throughout its service life. EUMETSAT will also be responsible for processing and distributing the satellite’s data to international users and organizations.

By launching Metop-SGA1, Arianespace continues to demonstrate its role in supporting vital Earth observation missions while affirming its commitment to securing independent European access to space.

VA264 Launch Snapshot:

• 355th Arianespace launch
• 3rd Ariane 6 launch overall, 2nd commercial flight
• 15th satellite launched for EUMETSAT
• 151st Airbus Defence and Space satellite launched by Arianespace
• 21st meteorological satellite launched by Arianespace

Media Contacts:

Camille SOHIER
camille.sohier@ariane.group

Anne Fauconnier
Chief Communications Officer
Tel : +331 60 87 60 00
a.fauconnier@arianespace.com

Daphné Joseph-Gabriel
Editorial & Media Relations Manager
Tel : +331 60 87 60 00
d.joseph-gabriel@arianespace.com

SOURCE: ArianeSpace