Science
METOP-B
Polar Weather · EUMETSAT / ESA
Right now
LiveIt moves every second. See exactly where it is — worked out from its orbit, on your own device — on the live 3D globe.
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- Altitude
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The backbone of European polar weather observations, MetOp-B carries the most comprehensive atmospheric sounding suite on any operational weather satellite. Its IASI instrument measures temperature and humidity profiles through 8,461 spectral channels simultaneously — compared to the handful previous sounders used. This data improves 24-hour forecasts by the equivalent of a full extra day of accuracy.
Its orbit
- Orbit
- Low Earth Orbitcan appear as a fast-moving star at dawn or dusk
- Altitude
- 511–514 mi (822–827 km)
- Inclination
- 98.6°
- One orbit
- 101.2 minutes14.2 orbits a day
- NORAD ID
- 38771
- Int’l designator
- 2012-049A
- Launched
- 2012
Orbital elements from CelesTrak, as of 22 Sep 2026.