ESA-TV coverage of MetOp launch on 17 July 2006

The first MetOp satellite is scheduled for launch from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, on 17 July at 16:28 GMT. Designed to monitor the Earth’s atmosphere from low Earth orbit, it will complement the established Meteosat satellites and form part of an integrated system to be run with the USA to provide better weather and climate information.

ESA TV provides extensive pre-launch plus live launch coverage of this event, as follows (please note that different satellites are used – the details are listed with every transmission below):

16 July 12:15–12:45 GMT MetOp Final Launch Preparations

ESA TV transmits a B-roll with 30 minutes of final launch preparations (mounting of MetOp onto Fregat upper stage, assembly of Fregat and MetOp onto Soyuz launcher, roll-out onto launch pad) directly from the Baikonur Cosmodrome (Eutelsat W2 at 16 degrees East, Transponder B6 horizontal, channel D (SCPC), F=11.154 MHz, SR=5.632 MS/sec, FEC=3/4).

17 July 08:00–08:30 GMT MetOp Pre-Launch Footage

On launch day, ESA TV retransmits the MetOp VNR released on 4 July, plus a shortened B-roll with images of final launch preparations in Baikonur (Eutelsat W2 at 16 degrees East, Transponder B6 horizontal, channel D (SCPC), F=11.154 MHz, SR=5.632 MS/sec, FEC=3/4)

17 July 15:30–18:30 GMT Launch of MetOp

This is a multicamera live OB co-production by ESA, Eumetsat and Starsem covering all aspects of MetOp and its launch. The schedule is as follows:

• 15:30-16:00 Welcome speeches by officials
• 16:00-16:15 Break
• 16:15-16:45 Live launch coverage until Fregat upper stage extinction, from ESOC Main Control Room and Baikonur, lift-off at 16:28 GMT
• 16:45-17:00 Break
• 17:00-17:20 Studio presentations by experts on space meteorology
• 17:20-17:35 Break
• 17:35-17:45 Live coverage of injection of MetOp into orbit (approx 17:37 GMT), from ESOC mission control
• 17:44-18:00 Break
• 18:00-18:30 Live coverage of solar array deployment and statements by officials from ESOC and Baikonur

Downlink details of for broadcasters: Eutelsat W2 at 16 degrees East, Transponder B6 horizontal, channel D (SCPC) F=11.154 MHz, SR=5.632 MS/sec, FEC=3/4

For general-public viewers, a rebroadcast in 3 MBit/sec MCPC is available on Hot Bird, details are online under http://television.esa.int/photos/Eutelsat4.pdf

17 July 16:15–16:45 GMT Launch of MetOp – Clean feed from Baikonur

ESA TV provides a live clean feed of the three cameras at the Baikonour Cosmodrome that will recordlift-off and ascent of the launcher Eutelsat W2 at 16 degrees East, Transponder B6 horizontal, channel F (SCPC) F=11.173 MHz, SR=5.632 MS/sec, FEC=3/4.

18 July 04:00–04:15 GMT MetOp Launch Summary

ESA TV will provide a launch summary with the images of final launch preparations, lift-off and flight, reactions at mission control at ESOC, and if available, post-mission statements by officials in Baikonur. The edit will also include some graphics on the first operations of MetOp in space (Eutelsat W1 at 10 degrees East, Transponder F6, vertical (SCPC), F=12.735 MHz, SR= 4.167 MS/sec, FEC=5/6)

For further information and a daily update of the transmission schedule, visit our website at http://television.esa.int. For all enquires, contact Claus Habfast, Tel +31 71 565 3838, Fax +31 71 565 6340, e-mail claus.habfast@esa.int.