The MetOp is a series of three satellites which will be orbited one after another in the course of fourteen years, beginning with 2005, and will form a space segment of the Polar system, EUMETSAT (Polar System - EPS)," Alain Fournier-Sicre said.
According to him, the MetOp will be the first European operational meteorological space satellite in the Polar orbit which will monitor climatic conditions and accurate weather forecasts.
"The MetOp has on board a new generation of devices, made in Europe, with better characteristics of remote-controlled sounding for the aims of meteorology and climate studies. The new European devices will make it possible to increase the accuracy of measuring temperature, humidity, the speed and direction of the wind, especially above the ocean, and the distribution of ozone in the atmosphere," Fournier-Sicre said.
"These space vehicles will be orbited by the EUMETSAT that has a contract for launching services with the European-Russian joint venture, STARSEM, which ensures a technical interface with the carrier and offers up-to-date assemble and test premises at the Baikonur space port in Kazakhstan," the head of the ESA Permanent Mission to Russia pointed out.
He also said that the MetOp satellites will be put in orbit of the height of 840 kilometers, "much lower than the Meteosat geostationary meteorological satellites. The MetOp vehicles will collect additional data and will ensure a daily global covering of the Earth's surface, Fournier-Sicre underscored.
