Weather satellite to be delivered in orbit to Eumetsat

Weather satellite to be delivered in orbit to Eumetsat Later this month, Europe's newest meteorology satellite, MetOp-B, will blast into space from Baikonur Cosmodrome. For mission control teams at ESA, liftoff marks the start of 72 hours of intense focus during the mission's critical launch and early orbit phase. MetOp-B is the second of three MetOp polar-orbiting satellites procured on behalf of Eumetsat, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, by ESA from a European industrial consortium led by Astrium. The satellite is set for liftoff on a Soyuz rocket from Kazakhstan on 17 September, including instruments from the French space agency, CNES, and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA. The first radio signal from the craft is expected around 66 minutes after departure. ESA teams to closely monitor new satellite The launch and early orbit phase - known as LEOP to engineers - begins three minutes later, when MetOp separates from the Fregat upper stage. It will finish three days later when ESA hands the satellite over to Eumetsat after placing it into its planned orbit and ensuring that all systems are working properly.