By Aikaterini Niovi Triantafillaki
On August 12, 2025, the new satellite of ESA and EUMETSAT, Metop-SGA, was successfully launched. This satellite always looks down (towards Earth) and not up (towards the stars).
Its purpose is to provide scientists with the necessary data so that weather forecasting models become more accurate. We also want to gain a better understanding of climate change.
The entire satellite was transported from France to French Guiana for launch aboard the Ariane 6 rocket, using a specially built ship, the Canopee. https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Ariane/Shipping_rockets_Ariane_on_board
The Canopee is a ship that moves only with its sails. Many researchers from the University of Southampton in England (the same city from which the Titanic departed!) contributed to its construction. Many consider it the “ship of the future,” since it does not use fossil fuels—it sails only with the wind.
After about one month, it successfully reached French Guiana for launch.
https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transportation/Ariane/Shipping_rockets_Ariane_on_board
The Launch:
After a few days of patience and communication between ground stations and the scientific instruments onboard the satellite, it was confirmed that everything was working perfectly. ESA officially announced the successful launch and the placement of the satellite in its intended orbit.
