# MetOp-B
*missions*

MetOp-B is the second EUMETSAT polar-orbiting meteorological satellite. Launched September 2012, became primary NWP platform April 2013. Sun-synchronous orbit at 830 km, LTAN 09:00 descending. Carries AMSU-A, MHS, IASI, ASCAT, AVHRR/3, GOME-2, GRAS, SEM-2; HIRS/4 deactivated January 2025; AMSU-A and AVHRR/3 degraded but operational. Expected operational through 2030.

## Specifications
- **operator**: eumetsat
- **current status**: operational
- **actual launch**: 2012-09-17
- **entity type**: mission
- **last verified date**: 2026-06-11
- **verified by**: agency-doc
- **claim status**: agency-sourced
- **provider**: eumetsat
- **attributes**: {"summary":"MetOp-B is the second EUMETSAT polar-orbiting meteorological satellite. Launched September 2012, became primary NWP platform April 2013. Sun-synchronous orbit at 830 km, LTAN 09:00 descending. Carries AMSU-A, MHS, IASI, ASCAT, AVHRR/3, GOME-2, GRAS, SEM-2; HIRS/4 deactivated January 2025; AMSU-A and AVHRR/3 degraded but operational. Expected operational through 2030.","operator":"eumetsat","current_status":"operational","actual_launch":"2012-09-17"}
- **relevance**: in-scope

## Editorial
MetOp-B is the second satellite of the EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS), a joint ESA-EUMETSAT operational meteorological programme. Launched 17 September 2012 from Baikonur on a Soyuz rocket, it operates in a sun-synchronous orbit at 830 km altitude with a 09:00 descending local solar time (LTAN). It assumed the role of primary NWP platform from MetOp-A in April 2013.[^oscar-metop-b][^eumetsat-metop-series]

The instrument suite carries AMSU-A, MHS, IASI, ASCAT, AVHRR/3, GOME-2, GRAS, HIRS/4, SEM-2, an Argos-3 data collection system (degraded), and a Search and Rescue transponder (degraded). HIRS/4 was deactivated in January 2025. AMSU-A and AVHRR/3 are reported as degraded but remain in operation.[^oscar-metop-b][^eumetsat-metop-series]

According to EUMETSAT operational documentation, MetOp-B currently serves as the backup operational platform, with MetOp-C reported as having assumed the primary NWP role; the precise handover date from MetOp-B to MetOp-C was not confirmed in the sources available at time of research.[^eumetsat-metop-series] Expected operational lifetime extends through approximately 2030, subject to consumable margins.[^eumetsat-metop-series]

## Compositional position
- MetOp-B --[mission_payloads]--> amsu-a (products)
- MetOp-B --[mission_payloads]--> mhs (products)
- osi-saf-ascat-winds (data_products) --[related]--> MetOp-B

## Sources
- [oscar-metop-b] | WMO OSCAR - MetOp-B satellite record | https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/metop_b | tier=agency-doc | accessed=2026-06-11
- [eumetsat-metop-series] | EUMETSAT MetOp satellite series | https://www.eumetsat.int/our-satellites/metop-series | tier=operator-engineering | accessed=2026-06-11
- [eoportal-metop] | MetOp programme, eoPortal | https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/metop | tier=community | accessed=2026-06-11

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Source: https://eo-atlas.org/missions/metop-b
Maintainer: SpectraWorks B.V. (CC-BY 4.0)