In May 2014 during ILA Berlin Air Show, in a presence of chancellor Angela Merkel, ESA, EUMETSAT and Airbus Defence and Space signed the first documents for the development of second generation of the MetOp satellites. [2] On 16 October 2014 contract was signed with Airbus Defence and Space for a construction of the satellites, worth €1.3 billion in total for six spacecraft (on average €266.7 million each).[3]
In December 2014 additional contracts were signed for Ice Cloud Imagers to be used on B-series satellites and three microwave sounder instruments.[4][5]
MetOp-SG satellites will be built in two series: A, carrying visible, infrared, and microwave imagers and sounders; and B, carrying microwave imagers and radars. The first A-series satellite will be launched in early 2025, while the first B-series satellite will be launched in late 2025.[1]
MetOp-SG satellites are a follow on from the three MetOp satellites and there are plans to perform a short tandem mission between the Metop-SG-A1 and Metop-C satellites to cross calibration old and new instruments. A later tandem mission may also be possible between Metop-SG-A1 and FORUM satellites in the future.
