[Text Source: ESA MetOp Meteorological Missions Homepage, http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEMN1FAATME_LPmetop_0.html ]
MetOp-B, the second satellite in the series,launched on 17 September 2012 and will operate in tandem with MetOp-A, increasing the wealth of data even further. The third and final satellite, MetOp-C will be launched in 2016.
Launching a new satellite every 5–6 years guarantees a continuous delivery of high-quality data for medium- and long-term weather forecasting and climate monitoring until at least 2020.
Group: Platform_Details
Entry_ID: METOP-B
Group: Platform_Identification
Platform_Category: Earth Observation Satellites
Platform_Series_or_Entity: METOP
Short_Name: METOP-B
Long_Name: Meteorological Operational Satellite - B
End_Group
Group: Platform_Associated_Instruments
Short_Name: SEM
Short_Name: SARSAT
Short_Name: MHS
Short_Name: IASI
Short_Name: HIRS/4
Short_Name: GRAS
Short_Name: GOME-2
Short_Name: AVHRR-3
Short_Name: ASCAT
Short_Name: ARGOS
Short_Name: AMSU-A
End_Group
Group: Orbit
Orbit_Altitude: 840 km
Orbit_Inclination: 98.8 degrees
Period: 101.7 minutes
Repeat_Cycle: 29 days
Orbit_Type: LEO > LOW EARTH ORBIT > POLAR SUN-SYNCHRONOUS
End_Group
Creation_Date: 2012-09-18
Online_Resourc : http://www.esa.int/esaLP/SEMN1FAATME_LPmetop_0.htm
Online_Resourc : http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/metop-b.htm
Group: Platform_Logistics
Launch_Date: 2012-09-17
Launch_Site: BAIKONUR COSMODROME, TYURATAM, RUSSIA
Design_Life: EOL July 2017
Primary_Sponsor: ESA
Primary_Sponsor: EUMETSAT
End_Group
End_Group (en)