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European launch supplier Arianespace will launch a new meteorological satellite today (November 6), and you can watch it live online!
At 19:47 EST (00:07 GMT on 7 November), MetOp-C will take off from an Arianespace version of the Russian Soyuz rocket from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. A live webcast of the launch will begin 20 minutes before takeoff. You can watch it live here on Space.com, courtesy of Arianespace.
Approximately one hour after take-off, MetOp-C will separate from the upper stage of the rocket and enter polar orbit more than 800 km from Earth, where it will spend the next five years monitoring the Earth's climate. and to provide important data for weather forecasts. [Amazing Launch Photos: Europe’s MetOp-B Weather Satellite Blasts Off]
The sun-synchronous polar orbit of the satellites places them not only in the sunlight (which is convenient for charging solar panels), but it also "allows for overall observation of the weather, the composition of the sun. 39, atmosphere, oceans and land surfaces, "said an official of Arianespace. of the mission.
Artist's view of the Metop-C satellite in orbit
Credit: ESA
MetOp-C will be the third and final satellite in the MetOp meteorological satellite series, developed by the European Space Agency and operated by the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). MetOp-A and MetOp-B launched in 2006 and 2012, and these satellites are still operational.
An Arianespace Soyuz rocket at the top of its launch is waiting for the installation of the MetOp-C European meteorological satellite before the planned launch of the Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana, on November 6, 2018.
Credit: Arianespace
Email Hanneke Weitering at [email protected] or follow her. @hannekescience. Follow us on twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Original article on Space.com.
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