Ariane 6 Launches Metop-SGA1 Weather Satellite into Polar Orbit
Europe’s heavy-lift Ariane 6 rocket completed its third successful launch on Aug. 12, 2025, lifting off from Kourou, French Guiana at 8:37 p.m. EDT. The mission carried Metop-SGA1, an 8,900-pound next-generation polar-orbiting weather satellite operated by EUMETSAT. Placed into an 800 km polar orbit 64 minutes after liftoff, Metop-SGA1 will deliver high-resolution global observations of temperature, precipitation, clouds, winds, sea ice, aerosols, and pollution. Built by ArianeGroup for the European Space Agency, Ariane 6 is Europe’s successor to the Ariane 5. This launch follows its commercial debut in March 2025, marking another milestone in strengthening Europe’s independent access to space.
