Important test campaign completed for First Metop satellite (Forwarded)

EADS Astrium GmbH
Munich, Germany
        
Press Contact:
Rémi Roland, EADS Astrium (FR), +33 (0) 1 34 88 35 78
Alistair Scott, EADS Astrium (UK), +44 (0) 1438 77 3698
Mathias Pikelj, EADS Astrium (GER), +49 (0) 7545 8 91 23

24/11/2003

Important test campaign completed for First Metop satellite

The first flight model of the Metop satellite series built by EADS Astrium for 
the European Space Agency and Eumetsat, has successfully completed a major test 
campaign at the Intespace facilities in Toulouse. After the coupling of the two 
satellites main modules, namely the Payload Module and the Service Module, which 
were mated for the first time at the end of June, the satellite has been 
subjected to extensive electromagnetic compatibility testing. During this test 
the mutual compatibility of the core satellite, its associated transmit/receive 
antennas and the numerous sensitive Metop payload elements has been successfully 
demonstrated.

The Metop payload comprises 12 instruments, of which 3 -- ASCAT the advanced 
scatterometer, GRAS the GNSS receiver for atmospheric sounding and MHS the 
Microwave Humidity Sounder -- are provided by EADS Astrium. These instruments 
are devoted to the main objectives of the satellite mission, which are focused 
upon operational meteorology and climate monitoring, but also support 
complementary missions in the area of humanitarian services (Search and Rescue) 
and space environment monitoring.

The mixture of high power active and sensitive passive instruments, coupled with 
numerous transmit antennas for data dissemination, results in very challenging 
payload accommodation considerations. Further a very broad range of sensitive 
frequencies are involved in the various payload elements, from approx 100 Mhz 
receive antennas, through microwave temperature and humidity sounding, to 
visible and ultraviolet for cloud and ice imaging.

Activities are now proceeding to prepare the satellite for the mechanical test 
campaign to be undertaken in the coming weeks which will demonstrate the 
satellite can sustain the launch environment associated with both the Soyuz and 
Ariane 5 . The Metop-FM1 satellite test programme will then be completed with a 
final verification of the flight software, and associated compatibility with the 
satellite hardware.

In parallel to the activities performed on the Metop-FM1, work is also 
progressing on the Payload Module and Service Module of the Metop-FM2, which for 
programmatic reasons will be the first Metop satellite to fly. As for Metop-FM1, 
these elements are being built in EADS Astrium sites in Friedrichshafen and 
Toulouse respectively.

Finally, the third and last Metop flight model is also under construction, with 
avionics integration having been performed on the Payload Module, which is now 
awaiting its flight instruments.

The first Metop satellite (Metop-FM2) will be launched in late 2005, using a 
Soyuz rocket from the Baïkonur Cosmodrome, Kazahkstan.

EADS Astrium is the leading satellites company in Europe. Its activities cover 
complete civil and military telecommunications and Earth Observation systems, 
Science and Navigation programmes, and all spacecraft avionics and equipment.

EADS Astrium is wholly owned by EADS SPACE. In 2002 EADS SPACE had a turnover of 
Euro 2.2 billion and 12.300 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and 
Spain. EADS Astrium's satellite business activities.

IMAGE CAPTION:
[http://www.astrium-space.com/corp/repository/0000000000003731.jpg (2MB)]
METOP satellite in test in Toulouse.