EUMETSAT – monitoring the weather and climate from space
EUMETSAT is Europe’s agency for monitoring the weather and climate from space. From its headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany, EUMETSAT delivers crucial weather and climate data 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to its 30 Member States and around the world. EUMETSAT operates four geostationary Meteosat spacecraft over Europe, Africa and the Indian Ocean, providing observations crucial for early warnings of severe weather events. The data from EUMETSAT’s three Metop polar-orbiting satellites are the single biggest contributor to the accuracy of weather forecasts from 12 hours to 10 days in advance. In addition, EUMETSAT is a partner in the Jason ocean altimetry missions with NOAA, NASA and CNES and EUMETSAT exploits the Copernicus Sentinel-3 marine mission, in cooperation with ESA and on behalf of the EU. EUMETSAT delivers real-time, integrated data streams to users worldwide and has an archive of observations stretching back more than 40 years. The organisation is at an exciting point in its history, preparing for the deployment of next-generation satellite systems.
In 2020, the Copernicus Sentinel-6 mission, a cooperative programme involving the European Commission, ESA, EUMETSAT, NASA and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will be deployed. This will mark the start of the next generation of the Jason mission.
The first of the Meteosat Third Generation satellites is planned for launch in 2021. The MTG instrument payload includes the EU’s Copernicus Sentinel-4 mission – the Ultraviolet, Visible and Near-Infrared Sounder, which will provide crucial observations of air quality.
The first of the second-generation Metop satellites is planned for launch in 2022. The payload includes the EU’s Copernicus Sentinel-5 spectrometer, designed to measure trace gases in the atmosphere.
EUMETSAT prides itself on providing a work environment that embraces diversity.