MetOp (Meteorological Operational satellite) is a series of three polar-orbiting meteorological satellites developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and operated by the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT). The satellites form the space segment component of the overall EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS), which in turn is the European half of the EUMETSAT / NOAA Initial Joint Polar System (IJPS). The satellites carry a payload comprising 11 scientific instruments and two which support Cospas-Sarsat Search and Rescue services. In order to provide data continuity between MetOp and NOAA Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES), several instruments are carried on both fleets of satellites.
MetOp-A, launched on 19 October 2006, was Europe's first polar orbiting satellite used for operational meteorology. With respect to its primary mission of providing data for Numerical Weather Prediction, studies have shown that MetOp-A data was measured as having the largest impact of any individual satellite platform on reducing 24-hour forecasting errors, and accounted for about 25% of the total impact on global forecast error reduction across all data sources. A 2023 report updated this estimate stating that the primary MetOp satellite has decreased in relative terms since 2011 from 24.5% to 11.15% in the FSOI metric.
