MetOp-B
Soyuz-2.1a/Fregat
Starsem SA
Rocket Launch Video
Mission
MetOp-B
- Type: Earth Science
- Orbit: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
- Launch Cost: $80,000,000
MetOp is a series of three polar orbiting meteorological satellites developed by the European Space Agency (ESA).
Location
31/6
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan
31/6 has witnessed the launch of 422 rockets, including 422 orbital launch attempts. While Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan, has been the site for 1555 rocket launches.
The Baikonur Cosmodrome is a spaceport operated by Russia within Kazakhstan. Located in the Kazakh city of Baikonur, it is the largest operational space launch facility in terms of area. All Russian crewed spaceflights are launched from Baikonur.
Rocket
Progress Rocket Space Center Soyuz 2.1a Fregat-M
The 2.1a version includes conversion from analog to digital flight control system and uprated engines on the booster and the first stage with improved injection systems. The new digital flight control and telemetry systems allow the rocket to launch from a fixed rather than angled launch platform and adjust its heading in flight. A digital control system also enables the launch of larger commercial satellites with wider and longer payload fairings such as the ST-type fairing. These fairings introduce too much aerodynamic instability for the old analog system to handle.
Agency
Starsem SA
Starsem is a French-Russian company that was created in 1996 to commercialise the Soyuz launcher internationally.
