EUMETSAT

  • Member States
  • Cooperating countries

EUMETSAT ( European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites; German: "European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites " ) in Darmstadt, Meteosat and MetOp weather satellite.

The European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites is an intergovernmental organization based in Darmstadt, Germany, with currently 29 European Member States ( Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Croatia, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Austria, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the Czech Republic, Turkey, Hungary and the United Kingdom ) and 2 Cooperating States ( Bulgaria and Serbia).

EUMETSAT is a member of the Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites ( CGMS ) and providing their secretariat. EUMETSAT is an observer member of the CCSDS.

Missions

The satellite images supplied form the basis for modern weather observation and forecasting. Long-term measurements, for example, on climate change or global warming can be collected.

Meteosat

EUMETSAT is currently operating a fleet of four geostationary weather satellites. Meteosat -6 and Meteosat -7 are first-generation satellites. MSG -1 ( Meteosat -8 ) is the first of the " second generation" of this type of satellite. It provides approximately twenty times as much data of his predecessors, observed the weather patterns in 12 different spectral ranges and has a significantly improved image quality. By December 2005, 21 ( 23:33 CET) made ​​the start of the MSG -2 ( Meteosat -9) there is a redundant system of two similar weather satellites in orbit. On 5 July 2012, the MSG -3, which will replace Meteosat -8 in the medium term started.

EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS)

In order to complete the global view, EUMETSAT is currently operating the first of a series of polar-orbiting satellites ( MetOp ). They are developed in cooperation with the European Space Agency ( ESA), the French space agency CNES and the European industry. The launch of the first MetOp satellite took place on 19 October 2006. The Earth observations from polar orbits are carried out jointly by EUMETSAT and the U.S. Weather Service NOAA as part of the Initial Joint Polar System ( IJPS ). The IJPS involves the exchange of instruments and data, and mutual support in the satellite data receiving.

The first satellite in the IJPS are NOAA -18 and MetOp -A. On 6 February 2009, NOAA - 19 is started, the record routine operation in May of the same year and has replaced NOAA -18. On board NOAA - 19 is a Microwave Humidity Sounder (MHS ) flies instrument of EUMETSAT.

MetOp -B was successfully launched on September 17, 2012 at 18:28 clock CEST ( 22:28 local time clock ). The launch took place from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan with a rocket Soyuz 2.1a.

The start of the next and final satellite MetOp ( MetOp -C) for the latest 2018Vorlage: Future / In 4 years with a Soyuz rocket from Kourou (French Guiana ) planned.

Jason

Since 70 % of the Earth's surface is covered by oceans and ocean currents as well as phenomena such as El Niño play a significant role in global climate change, another satellite Jason -2 was launched into space on 20 June 2008. He will continuously monitor marine and wave heights and thus support Seewettervorhersagen. EUMETSAT and NOAA will take control of the satellite and the distribution of the collected data.

In order to provide this service in the future, EUMETSAT, ESA, NOAA and other European partners have agreed to plan the next generation of geostationary and polar satellites.

Use of data

The data and weather images are primarily intended to be used by the national weather services of the Member States and koopierenden States. In addition, a number of other user has purchased licenses to gain access to the Meteosatdaten.

The primary users disseminate weather images and data to other end-users. For example, the weather images and movies are broadcast along with weather forecasts every day on television or bought over the Internet. So much of the European population EUMETSAT uses data.

Universities and research institutes need Meteosat data for the training and their own research. Commercial organizations use the data either as end-users, such as airlines, or as service providers such as broadcasters or commercial weather forecasts. Meteosatdaten are often received by locally installed receiving equipment, as they can be found for example in schools, sports airfields, yachts or private individuals.

Satellite Application Centers (Satellite Application Facilities ) SAFs

EUMETSAT Satellite Application Centers (Satellite Application Facilities ) SAFs are an integral part of the distributed EUMETSAT ground segment. SAFs use the experience and expertise of the Member States and are responsible for the application-oriented processing of satellite data. Each SAF is being developed by an international consortium and operated, which is under the guidance of a National Weather Service. Research, data, products and services of the SAFs complement while the activities of the EUMETSAT central facility in Darmstadt.

Currently, there are eight SAFs in different stages of development, with specialization in the following areas:

  • Support to Nowcasting and very short range forecast ( nowcasting and short- term forecast )
  • Ocean and Sea Ice ( ocean and sea ice )
  • Climate Monitoring ( air monitoring)
  • Numerical Weather Prediction ( NWP )
  • Country Surface Analysis ( Land Surface Analysis )
  • Radio Occultation Meteorology ( Meteorological use of radio occultation sensors)
  • Ozone and Atmospheric Chemistry Monitoring ( ozone monitoring)
  • Support to Operational Hydrology and Water Management ( Operational Hydrology and Water Management)
Surface weather observation National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Water resource management
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