This satellite, like the two that will follow it, will be placed on a polar orbit at an altitude of around 840kms (approx 525 miles). Until now we have only placed satellites on fixed geostationary orbits, such as Meteosat, which monitor the same part of the Earth from an unchanging location above the equator at an altitude of 36,000kms (approx 22,400 miles). By orbiting 42 times closer to the Earth’s surface, MetOp will be able to observe the atmosphere in much greater detail and collect data from all parts of the globe. Boasting a lifespan of 5 years, the spacecraft will take only 100 minutes to fulfill a complete orbit of the Earth and will make this journey 14 times a day passing over the poles.
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