MetOp Second Generation-B1, a weather satellite developed over 12 years, arrived at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou on 16 October after transport by sail-assisted vessel from Bordeaux. The satellite has been removed from its protective transport container and transferred to a cleanroom for reactivation ahead of launch on an Ariane 6 rocket toward the end of 2025.
The container maintained a nitrogen-filled environment at 22°C to protect the satellite's components during storage. ESA's Enrico Corpaccioli described the removal and reactivation as "an exciting moment for the team."
MetOp-SG-B1 will orbit Earth alongside its sibling MetOp-SG-A1, which launched in August 2025. Together they carry instruments to measure atmospheric and environmental variables including temperature, precipitation, clouds and winds. These measurements support weather forecasting and climate research. The full MetOp-SG mission comprises three successive pairs of satellites designed to provide meteorological data for more than 20 years.
Over coming weeks, the launch campaign will progress through switching on the satellite, final checks and fuelling before encapsulation in the Ariane 6 fairing and transport to the launch pad.