EPS-SG is EUMETSAT’s next generation of polar-orbiting satellites, following on from earlier successful EUMETSAT Polar System programme (Metop). This next generation will secure the continuation of meteorological observations from polar orbit from 2025-2043.
The EPS-SG mission will have two series of spacecraft, Metop-SG A and B, flying on the same mid-morning orbit, like the current Metop satellites. The orbit height is in the range 823-848 (dependent on latitudes). There will be three satellites each of Metop-SG A and Metop-SG B.
Metop-SG A is an atmospheric sounding and imaging mission. It has a suite of infrared, microwave, and imaging instruments for sounding temperature, moisture and trace gases in the atmosphere:
- Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI-NG)
- Microwave Sounder (MWS)
- METimage
- Multi-viewing, Multi-channel, Multi-polarisation Imager (3MI)
- Sentinel-5 instrument
Metop-SG B is a microwave imaging mission, focused on radar observations of ocean-surface wind and soil moisture and all-weather microwave imagery of precipitation and ice clouds:
Both satellites are equipped with a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Radio-Occultation (RO) instrument for limb sounding of temperature and humidity at high vertical resolution.
Ground Segment
The EPS-SG Overall Ground Segment (OGS) will support the ground functions required to meet the EPS-SG Missions objectives.
Main functions of the OGS:
- Acquiring, processing and disseminating EPS-SG global and regional data to the end users, as part of the EPS-SG Global and Regional missions.
- Monitoring, controlling and operating the Metop-SG satellites in orbit.
- Archiving EPS-SG global data and providing off-line retrieval from archive and user support services.
- Perform calibration and validation of the products, routinely monitoring the Metop-SG instruments’ health, and product quality.
The ground segment consists of:
- Mission Control and Operations (MCO) — The MCO block will ensure the end-to-end monitoring and control of the Metop-SG spacecraft, including Tracking, Telemetry and Control (TT&C).
- Payload Data Acquisition and Processing (PDAP) — The PDAP block will ensure the end-to-end chain from data acquisition to the generation of level 1 and level 2 products.
- EUMETSAT Multi Mission Elements (MMEs) — The Multi Mission Elements (MMEs) are EUMETSAT operational facilities and common infrastructure used by existing programmes. They are split in four groups: infrastructure, data centre, monitoring and dissemination. They will be used by EPS-SG after extension and upgrade.
Further information on the Metop-SG spacecraft, instruments and services can be found on Metop-SG section of the EUMETSAT User Portal.