Meteosat
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The Meteosat series of satellites are geostationary meteorological satellites operated by EUMETSAT under the Meteosat Transition Programme (MTP).
The program was established to ensure the operational continuity between the end of the successful Meteosat Operational Programme in 1995 and Meteosat Second Generation (MSG), which came into operation at the start of 2004 using improved satellites. The MTP provides an overlap with MSG by continuing the current Meteosat system until at least the end of the year 2005.
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[edit] First generation
The first generation of Meteosat satellites, Meteosat-1 to Meteosat-7, provide continuous and reliable meteorological observations from space to a large user community. In addition to the provision of images of the Earth and its atmosphere every half-hour in three spectral channels (Visible, Infrared and Water Vapour), via the Meteosat Visible and Infrared Imager (MVIRI) instrument, a range of processed meteorological products is produced. Meteosat also supports the retransmission of data from data collection platforms in remote locations, at sea and on board aircraft, as well as the dissemination of meteorological information in graphical and text formats.
[edit] Second Generation
Meteosat Second Generation was designed in response to user requirements to serve the needs of Nowcasting applications and Numerical Weather Prediction. In addition the GERB instrument provides important data for climate monitoring and research.
The new satellites are spin-stabilised like the previous generation, but with many design improvements. The more frequent and comprehensive data collected by MSG also aids the weather forecaster in the swift recognition and prediction of dangerous weather phenomena such as thunderstorms, fog and explosive development of small but intense depressions which can lead to devastating wind storms.
On January 29, 2004 the first Meteosat Second Generation satellite MSG-1, renamed to Meteosat-8, commmenced routine operations. In addition to GERB, Meteosat-8 also carries the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) instrument.
The launch of Meteosat-9 took place on December 21, 2005.
At the end of January 2004 Meteosat-5, -6, -7 and -8 were all operational. Meteosat-5 was stationed over the Indian Ocean. Meteosat-6, -7 and -8 were all located over Africa with various differences in operational configuration; Meteosat-6 was in 'rapid scan' mode, providing reduced images every 10 minutes. Meteosat-7 was on location to act as back-up to Meteosat-8 and provide a transition period while users migrate to Meteosat-8. This transition period ended on the 14 June 2006 with the termination of Metosat 7's transmissions.
[edit] References
- EUMETSAT
- Perfect day for weather satellite. BBC News (2005). Retrieved on February 6, 2006.
Krige, John. "Crossing the Interface from R&D to Operational Use: The Case of the European Meteorological Satellite,” Technology and Culture, Volume 41, Number 1, January 2000, pp. 27-50.
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