Journalists are invited to an exclusive behind-the-scenes opportunity on 8 April to see exciting new missions up close in the cleanroom at Airbus’ facilities in Toulouse, France. Experts will offer insights into the first satellite of the all-new Metop Second Generation satellite, poised to revolutionise weather forecasting from polar orbit. The Copernicus Sentinel-5 mission will also be on show – an advanced instrument designed to deliver critical data on air pollutants, ozone, and climate-related gases embarked on the Metop Second Generation-A1 satellite.
As the successor to the original Metop programme, Metop-SG is ready to take the reins. It will not only ensure the continued delivery of vital global observations from polar orbit but also enhance weather forecasting accuracy and climate evolution monitoring like never before.
With climate change driving more frequent and severe extreme weather events, precise and timely forecasting has never been more critical. According to a recent report from the UN World Meteorological Organization, over 150 of the most extreme weather events ever recorded occurred in 2024.
Metop-SG consists of six satellites: three successive pairs made up of an A-type and a B-type satellite, which carry a host of different but complementary instruments. The satellite on show in Toulouse is the first Metop-SG-A, which is due to be launched in the summer from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
As well as a suite of state-of-the art measuring instruments for weather forecasting and climate analysis, the A-type satellites also carry the Copernicus Sentinel-5 ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared and shortwave infrared sounder to measure key air pollutants and climate-related gases.
The Metop-SG mission has been developed thanks to the long-standing cooperation between ESA and EUMETSAT. The prime contractor for the A-type satellite is Airbus Defence and Space in Toulouse.
The Copernicus Sentinel-5 mission is the result of close cooperation between ESA, the European Commission and EUMETSAT. It was developed under the responsibility of ESA, by a consortium led by Airbus Defence and Space in Ottobrunn, Germany.
Programme
The event will take place on
Tuesday 8 April 2025.
10:00–10:30: Registration and welcome coffee
10:30 –10:35: Welcome
10:35–10:45:
Simonetta Cheli,
Director of Earth Observation Programmes, ESA
10:45–10:50:
Rüdiger Hartwich, Head of Institutional and German Programmes, Airbus
10:50–11:00:
Paul Counet, Head of Strategy, Communication International Relations, EUMETSAT
11:00–11:10:
Hervé Marcille, Metop-SG-A Project Manager, Airbus
11:10–11:15:
Christoph D. Ehrhart, Sentinel-5 Project Manager, Airbus
11:15–11:25:
Philippe Chambon,
Team Manager for Numerical Weather Prediction, Météo France
11:25–11:35:
Melanie Ades, CAMS Senior Scientist, expert in data assimilation, ECMWF
11:35-12:00:
Q&A (with additional spokespeople)
12:00-15:30: Visits (in 4 groups) to the
cleanroom to view and photograph the Metop-SG satellite and opportunities for one-to-one interviews.
A buffet lunch will be provided in parallel to the cleanroom group tours.
Additional spokespeople and experts include:
Marc Loiselet,
ESA,
Metop-SG sat A Project Manager
Didier Martin,
ESA,
Sentinel-5 Project Manager
Ben Veihelmann,
ESA, Mission Scientist Sentinel-5
Fran Martinez Fadrique,
EUMETSAT, Metop-SG Programme Manager
Bojan Bojkov,
EUMETSAT,
Head of Remote Sensing and Products
François Bermudo,
CNES, IASI-NG Project Manager
Isabel Zerfowski,
DLR, METImage Project Manager
Markus Huchler,
Airbus, Metop-SG Programme Manager
Sophie Moraud,
Airbus, IASI-NG Project Manager
Dirk Ballhause,
Airbus, METImage Project Manager
Accreditation
Media representatives are asked to register by
3 April 12:00 CEST by emailing:
media.airbusdefenceandspace@airbus.com
For questions, please contact
media.airbusdefenceandspace@airbus.com or
press@eumetsat.int
Requirements for access to the Airbus site
A valid passport/ID card will be required to access the site.
Cleanroom access and capacity is limited to guarantee safety of visitors, satellites and operations.
Access will be granted on a first come first serve basis.
Smartphones are prohibited in the cleanroom: please make sure you bring an independent camera/ recording device.
For the cleanroom visit, please wear trousers and closed shoes (high heels not recommended).
We will be asking the media to limit their presence in the cleanroom to a
maximum of 40 minutes to allow others to access.
Address
Airbus Defence and Space, 31 rue des Cosmonautes, 31400 Toulouse, France.
Airbus provides the following hotel recommendations:
ibis Styles Toulouse Cité Espace
Campanile Toulouse Sud Balma
Hotel Arena Toulouse
Further information
EUMETSAT Polar System Second Generation:
https://www.eumetsat.int/media/52384
Metop Second Generation - Facts and Figures:
https://www.eumetsat.int/media/52386
Metop Second Generation - Factsheet:
https://www.eumetsat.int/media/52385
Metop Second Generation satellites animation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3JtPiDvYTg&list=PLOQg9n6Apif0BahKDvmkCY22gmhWtwuil
About EUMETSAT
EUMETSAT, Europe’s meteorological satellite agency, monitors the weather and climate from space. Based in Darmstadt, Germany, EUMETSAT provides its 30 member states with meteorological imagery and data that are essential for keeping their communities safe and for the benefit of critical sectors of their economies.
EUMETSAT’s 30 member states are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.
For more information, see the
EUMETSAT website.
Media Relations EUMETSAT:
Tel: +49 6151 807 7320
Email:
press@eumetsat.int
www.eumetsat.int