Elements for Life

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] 24

ANKIND CANNOT CONTROL

the weather, but with

accurate and timely information, the effects of severe

weather and natural disasters can be mitigated. Global

warming, climate change and increasingly destructive weather

events over recent years have alerted governments, scientists

and other communities to the importance of finding efficient

and cost-effective resources to help prepare for and mitigate

the effects of such events on a global scale.

Satellites have been collecting atmospheric observations for

decades, and have made a significant contribution to weather fore-

casting and the long-term monitoring of the planet’s well being.

The European Organisation for the Exploitation of

Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) works to provide data,

products and services to help detect potentially dangerous

weather patterns and provide input for computer models to

produce forecasts. Even if a disaster has already struck, these

information services can support rescue missions as well as

planning for the prevention or mitigation of similar events in

the future.

EUMETSAT is a European organization with a global commit-

ment – it serves 30 states – and its data, services and products

can be received in almost every country on Earth – 24 hours a

day, every day of the year. The organisation also is a major contrib-

utor to global programmes such as the World Meteorological

Organization’s (WMO) Global Observing System (GOS).

A space-eye view of the Earth

EUMETSAT currently operates six satellites:

• Two second generation Meteosat satellites providing the

operational service from geostationary orbit

• Three first-generation geostationary satellites: Meteosat-6

and -7, which provide the Indian Ocean Service, and

Meteosat-5 which is due to be de-orbited in spring 2007.

• Metop, launched in October 2006 and soon to provide the

operational service from polar orbit.

Technological advances and the increasing sophistication of

weather forecasting requirements created a demand for more

frequent, more accurate and higher resolution observations from

space. To meet this demand, EUMETSAT in 2002 launched the

first of a new series of even more advanced weather satellites

known as Meteosat Second Generation (MSG), developed in

collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA) and the

European space industry. The second satellite in the series was

launched in December 2005 and since July 2006 the vital opera-

tional service from geostationary orbit is provided by two second

generation Meteosats – Meteosat-8 and Meteosat-9. Second

Generation Meteosats herald a new era in weather and climate

monitoring. With the most advanced imager of all satellites

currently in orbit they continuously scan Europe, Africa and parts

of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans with visibly improved image

quality at 15 minute intervals. The frequent delivery of data is

especially important in situations of severe weather. Very short

term forecasting, called Nowcasting, makes use of the rapid

sequence of high-resolution satellite imagery provided by the new

MSG satellites and helps to for example monitor the development

of dangerous storms. But even in more ‘normal’ conditions the

information on weather, climate and the environment gathered

Monitoring weather, climate and

the environment – EUMETSAT’s

operational satellite service

The European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites

The Metop satellite being encapsulated in the fairing of the launch

vehicle before take-off