View source for EUMETSAT

{{Short description|European intergovernmental organisation}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox organization
| name                = European Organisation<br />for the Exploitation of<br />Meteorological Satellites
| logo                = EUMETSAT logo 2020.svg
| logo_size           = 250px
| logo_caption        = Logo since 2020
| image               = EUMETSAT Headquarters Germany.png
| image_size          = 270px
| caption             = Headquarters
| map                 = EUMETSAT member states.svg
| map_size            = 270px
| mcaption            = {{legend|#006ba8|Member states}}{{legend|#6ec961|Cooperating states}}
| headquarters        = [[Darmstadt]], [[Germany]]
| coords              = {{coord|49|51|54|N|8|37|37|E|region:DE-HE_type:landmark|display=title}}
| membership          = 30 member states
| language            = [[English language|English]], [[German language|German]] and [[French language|French]]
| leader_title        = Alain Ratier
| leader_name         = 
| leader_title2       = 
| leader_name2        = 
| formation           = 1986
| website             = {{URL|http://www.eumetsat.int/}}
}}

The '''European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites''' ('''EUMETSAT''') is an [[intergovernmental organisation]] created through an [[international convention]] agreed by a current total of 30 European Member States.

EUMETSAT's primary objective is to establish, maintain and exploit European systems of operational [[meteorological]] [[satellite]]s. EUMETSAT is responsible for the launch and operation of the [[satellite]]s and for delivering satellite data to end-users as well as contributing to the operational monitoring of [[climate]] and the detection of [[global climate change]]s.

The activities of EUMETSAT contribute to a global [[meteorological satellite]] observing system coordinated with other space-faring states.

Satellite observations are an essential input to numerical [[weather prediction]] systems and also assist the human forecaster in the diagnosis of potentially hazardous weather developments. Of growing importance is the capacity of weather satellites to gather long-term measurements from space in support of climate change studies.

EUMETSAT is not an institution or agency of the [[European Union]], although the majority of its members are [[Member state of the European Union|EU member states]]. The organisation became a signatory to the [[International Charter on Space and Major Disasters]] in 2012, thus providing for the global charitable use of its space assets.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.disasterscharter.org/c/document_library/get_file?p_l_id=23109&folderId=172718&name=DLFE-4704.pdf|title=The International Charter : Space & Major Disasters|website=Disasterscharter.org|access-date=2017-08-20|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111231659/http://www.disasterscharter.org/c/document_library/get_file?p_l_id=23109&folderId=172718&name=DLFE-4704.pdf|archive-date=2013-11-11}}</ref>

== Member and cooperating states ==
The national mandatory contributions of member states are proportional to their [[gross national income]]. However, the cooperating countries contribute only half of the fee they would pay for full membership. The convention establishing EUMETSAT was opened for signature in 1983 and entered into force on 19 June 1986.

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="clear:both"
|-
!Country!!Signatory date!!Organization
|-
|{{GER}}||1986, March ||[[Deutscher Wetterdienst|Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD)]]
|-
|{{GBR}}||1985, May ||[[Met Office]]
|-
|{{FRA}}||1985, February ||[[Météo-France]]
|-
|{{ITA}}||1986, June ||[[Servizio Meteorologico|Ufficio Generale Spazio Aereo e Meteorologia (USAM) – Reparto Meteorologia]]
|-
|{{ESP}}||1985, February ||[[Agencia Estatal de Meteorología|Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET)]]
|-
|{{NLD}}||1984, March ||[[KNMI (institute)|Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut (KNMI)]]
|-
|{{CHE}}||1985, July ||[[MeteoSwiss|MeteoSchweiz / MétéoSuisse / MeteoSvizzera]]
|-
|{{BEL}}||1985, October ||[[Royal Meteorological Institute|Institut Royal Météorologique de Belgique (IRM) / Koninklijk Meteorologisch Instituut van België (KMI)]]
|-
|{{SWE}}||1984, January ||[[Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute|Sveriges meteorologiska och hydrologiska institut (SMHI)]]
|-
|{{TUR}}||1984, August ||[[Turkish State Meteorological Service|Remote Sensing Division, Devlet Meteoroloji İşleri Genel Müdürlüğü (DMİGM)]]
|-
|{{AUT}}||1993, December ||[[Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics|Zentralanstalt für Meteorologie und Geodynamik (ZAMG)]]
|-
|{{NOR}}||1985, April ||[[Norwegian Meteorological Institute|Meteorologisk institutt (met.no)]]
|-
|{{POL}}||2009, June ||[[Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management|Instytut Meteorologii i Gospodarki Wodnej (IMGW)]]
|-
|{{DEN}}||1984, January ||[[Danish Meteorological Institute|Danmarks Meteorologiske Institut (DMI)]]
|-
|{{GRE}}||1988, June ||[[Hellenic National Meteorological Service|Εθνική Μετεωρολογική Υπηρεσία (HNMS)]]
|-
|{{FIN}}||1984, December ||[[Finnish Meteorological Institute|Ilmatieteen laitos / Meteorologiska institutet (FMI)]]
|-
|{{POR}}||1989, May ||[[Portuguese Meteorological Institute|Instituto de Meteorologia (IM)]]
|-
|{{IRL}}||1985, June ||[[Met Éireann]]
|-
|{{CZE}}||2010, May ||[[Czech Hydrometeorological Institute|Český hydrometeorologický ústav (CHMI), Družicové Oddělení]]
|-
|{{HUN}}||2008, October ||[[Hungarian Meteorological Service|Országos Meteorológiai Szolgálat (OMSZ)]]
|-
|{{ROM}}||2010, November ||[[National Meteorological Administration of Romania]]
|-
|{{SVK}}||2006, January ||[[Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute|Slovenský hydrometeorologický ústav (SHMU)]]
|-
|{{CRO}}||2006, December ||[[Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service|Državni hidrometeorološki zavod (DHMZ)]]
|-
|{{SLO}}||2008, February ||[[Slovenian Environment Agency|Agencija Republike Slovenije za Okolje (ARSO)]]
|-
|{{LUX}}||2002, July ||[[Luxembourg Airport Authority|Administration de la navigation aérienne]]
|-
|{{LAT}}||2009, May ||[[Latvian Environmental, Geological and Meteorological Agency|Latvijas Vides, ģeoloģijas un meteoroloģijas aģentūra (LVGMA)]]
|-
|{{LTU}}||2014, January ||[[Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service|Lietuvos hidrometeorologijos tarnyba (LHMT), prie Aplinkos ministerijos]]
|-
|{{ISL}}||2014, January ||[[Icelandic Meteorological Office|Veðurstofa Íslands]]
|-
|{{EST}}||2013, June ||[[Estonian Weather Service]]
|-
|{{BUL}}||2014, April ||[[National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology of Bulgaria|Национален институт по метеорология и хидрология (INMH)]]
|-
| colspan="3" align="center" |<small>'' Last update published 2014''</small>
|}

== Satellite programmes ==
[[File:EUMETSAT Meteosat model.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Model of a first generation Meteosat geostationary satellite. EUMETSAT site, Darmstadt, Germany, 2006.]]
[[File:EUMETSAT MSG model.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Model of a second generation Meteosat geostationary satellite. EUMETSAT site, Darmstadt, Germany, 2006.]]
[[File:EUMETSAT METOP model.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Model of a MetOp polar satellite (MetOp refers to the Meteorological Operational Satellite Program of Europe, bottom up). EUMETSAT site, Darmstadt, Germany, 2006.]]

There are two types of programmes:

* [[Geostationary orbit|Geostationary]] satellites, providing a continuous view of the Earth disc from a stationary position in space.
* [[Polar orbit|Polar-orbiting]] satellites, flying at a much lower altitude, sending back more precise details about atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles, although with less frequent global coverage.

=== High-level, stationary in space (Geostationary satellites) ===
{{Main|Meteosat}}
The current provision of geostationary satellite surveillance is enabled by the Meteosat series of satellites  operated by EUMETSAT, generating images of the full Earth disc and data for forecasting.

The first generation of Meteosat, launched in 1977, provided continuous, reliable observations to a large user group. In response to demand for more frequent and comprehensive data, Meteostat Second Generation (MSG) was developed with key improvements in swift recognition and prediction of thunderstorms, fog, and the small depressions which can lead to dangerous wind storms. MSG was launched in 2004. To capture foreseeable user needs up to 2025, a Meteostat Third Generation (MTG) is in active preparation.

=== Low-level orbiting (Polar satellites) ===

==== EUMETSAT Polar System ====
{{Main|Metop}}
{{duplication|dupe=Metop|date=July 2014}}

The lack of observational coverage in certain parts of the globe, particularly the [[Pacific Ocean]] and continents of the [[southern hemisphere]], has led to the increasingly important role for polar-orbiting satellite data in [[numerical weather prediction]] and climate monitoring.

[[EUMETSAT Polar System]] (EPS) Metop mission consists of three polar orbiting Metop satellites, to be flown successively for more than 14 years. The first, Metop-A, was launched by a [[Russia]]n [[Soyuz-2 (rocket)|Soyuz-2.1a]] rocket from [[Baikonur Cosmodrome|Baikonur]] on October 19, 2006, at 22:28 Baikonur time (16:28 UTC). Metop-A was initially controlled by [[ESOC]] for the [[LEOP]] phase immediately following launch, with control handed over to EUMETSAT 72 hours after lift-off. EUMETSAT's first commands to the satellite were sent at 14:04 UTC on October 22, 2006.

The second EPS satellite, Metop-B, was launched from Baikonur on 17 September 2012,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eumetsat.int/website/home/News/DAT_2027474.html?lang=EN |title=At 18:28 CEST (22:28 Baikonur time), Metop-B was successfully launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on a Soyuz 2.1a rocket. |publisher=EUMETSAT |access-date=September 7, 2016 |archive-date=24 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024234452/https://www.eumetsat.int/website/home/News/DAT_2027474.html?lang=EN |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the third, Metop-C, was launched from [[Centre Spatial Guyanais]] in [[Kourou]], [[French Guiana]] on 7 November 2018 by [[Arianespace]] using a [[Soyuz ST-B]] launch vehicle with a [[Fregat-M]] upper stage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eumetsat.int/website/home/Satellites/CurrentSatellites/Metop/index.html|publisher=EUMETSAT|title=Metop is a series of three polar orbiting meteorological satellites which form the space segment component of the overall EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS). |access-date=October 31, 2023 |archive-date=October 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022052605/https://www.eumetsat.int/website/home/Satellites/CurrentSatellites/Metop/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Positioned at approximately {{Cvt|817|km|mi}} above [[the Earth]], special instruments on board Metop-A can deliver far more precise details about atmospheric temperature and moisture profiles than a geostationary satellite.

The satellites also ensure that the more remote regions of the globe, particularly in Northern Europe as well as the oceans in the Southern hemisphere, are fully covered.

The EPS programme is also the European half of a joint program with [[NOAA]], called the International Joint Polar System (IJPS). NOAA has operated a continuous series of low earth orbiting meteorological satellite since April 1960. Many of the instruments on Metop are also operated on NOAA/[[POES]] satellites, providing similar data types across the IJPS.

===== Instruments on Metop =====
* [[Argos System|A/DCS (Advanced Data Collection System)]]
* [[Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit|AMSU-A1 and AMSU-A2]]
* ASCAT Advanced [[Scatterometer]]
* [[Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer|AVHRR]] (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer)
* [[MetOp#GOME-2|GOME-2]] (Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment)&nbsp;— instrument to monitor [[ozone]] levels
* GRAS  ([[GNSS]] Receiver for Atmospheric Sounding: global navigation satellite systems [[GPS radio occultation|radio occultation]])
* HIRS  (High Resolution [[Infrared]] Sounder)
* IASI ([[Infrared atmospheric sounding interferometer]])
* MHS ([[Microwave]] [[Humidity]] Sounder)
* SARP-3 and SARR (Search And Rescue Processor and Search And Rescue Repeater)
* SEM ([[Space Environment Monitor]], to measure the intensity of the Earth's [[Van Allen radiation belt|radiation belt]]s and the [[proton]]/[[electron]] flux.)

==== Jason / Sentinel-6 ====
{{Main|Jason satellite series}}

;[[Jason-2]]
The Jason-2 programme is an international partnership across multiple organisations, including EUMETSAT, CNES, and the US agencies NASA and NOAA.
Jason-2 was launched successfully from [[Vandenberg Air Force Base]] aboard a [[Delta-II rocket]] on 20 June 2008, 7:46 UTC. [https://web.archive.org/web/20081116195520/http://www.eumetsat.int/Home/Main/What_We_Do/Highlights/SP_1213708779383?l=en EUMETSAT – What We Do – Jason-2 – Launch Description]

Jason-2 reliably delivers detailed oceanographic data vital to our understanding of weather forecasting and climate change monitoring. Jason-2 provides data on the decadal (10-yearly) oscillations in large ocean basins, such as the Atlantic Ocean; mesoscale variability, and surface wind and wave conditions. Jason-2 measurements contribute to the [[European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts]] (ECMWF) satellite data assimilation, helping improve global atmosphere and ocean forecasting.

Altimetric data from Jason-2 have also helped create detailed decade-long global observations and analyses of the [[El Niño]] and [[La Niña]] phenomena, opening the way to new discoveries about ocean circulation and its effects on climate, and providing new insights into ocean tides, turbulent ocean eddies and marine gravity.

;[[Jason-3]]
Jason-3 was Launched on 17 January 2016, Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 launcher. It is operational since 14 October 2016.
Jason-3 is on a non-Sun-synchronous low Earth orbit at 66° inclination and 1336&nbsp;km altitude, optimised to eliminate tidal aliasing from sea surface height and mean sea level measurements. Jason-2, flies on the same orbit but at 162°.
It is built on the same cooperation as Jason-2, involving EUMETSAT, NOAA, CNES and NASA, with Copernicus expected to support the European contribution to operations, as part of its HPOA activity, which also covers contributions to the Jason-CS programme.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eumetsat.int/website/home/Satellites/CurrentSatellites/Jason3/index.html |title=Jason-3 altimeter data is part of the Copernicus programme and is used by the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) |website=www.eumetsat.int |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026180507/https://www.eumetsat.int/website/home/Satellites/CurrentSatellites/Jason3/index.html |archive-date=26 October 2020}}</ref>

;[[Sentinel-6]]/[[Jason-CS]]
The Jason satellites were succeeded by the Sentinel-6 for the radar altimeter mission, part of the [[European Union]]'s [[Copernicus Programme]] for Earth observation, with the objective of providing an operational service for high-precision measurements of global sea-level. This mission is implemented as a multi-partner cooperation between the [[European Commission]] and EUMETSAT, [[ESA]], [[NOAA]] and [[NASA]], with support from the French space agency, [[CNES]].

The mission, implemented through the two Sentinel-6/Jason-CS satellites (Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich and Sentinel-6B), aims to continue high precision ocean altimetry measurements in the 2020–2030 time-frame. A secondary objective is to collect high resolution vertical profiles of temperature, using the GNSS Radio-Occultation sounding technique, to assess temperature changes in the troposphere and stratosphere and to support Numerical Weather Prediction.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.eumetsat.int/website/home/Satellites/FutureSatellites/CopernicusSatellites/Sentinel6/index.html |title=SENTINEL-6 |website=www.eumetsat.int |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028121155/https://www.eumetsat.int/website/home/Satellites/FutureSatellites/CopernicusSatellites/Sentinel6/index.html |archive-date=28 October 2020}}</ref>

The launch of the first satellite – Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich – occurred successfully on 21 November 2020 from Vandenberg AFB in California, USA on a [[SpaceX]] [[Falcon-9]] launch vehicle. The satellite was named in honour of [[Michael Freilich (oceanographer)]], an oceanographer and former director of [[NASA]]'s Earth Science Division. Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich succeeded Jason-3 as the reference mission for satellite ocean altimetry in April 2022.

The launch of Sentinel-6B is foreseen for late-2025, also on a [[SpaceX]] [[Falcon-9]].

== See also ==
*[[EUMETNET]]
*the [[European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts]] (ECMWF)
*the French [[CNES]] (CNES)
*the US [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] (NOAA), the US equivalent of EUMETSAT
*the US [[NASA]] (NASA), the US equivalent of the [[European Space Agency|ESA]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|position=left|EUMETSAT}}
*{{Official website}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20100201214135/http://internationalweatherarchive.org/satellite.aspx EUMETSAT weather satellite viewer] Online EUMETSAT weather satellite viewer with 2 months of archived data.

{{Politics of outer space}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites| ]]
[[Category:European space programmes]]
[[Category:Satellite meteorology]]
[[Category:Meteorological organizations]]
[[Category:Space organizations]]
[[Category:Intergovernmental organizations established by treaty]]
[[Category:International organisations based in Germany]]
[[Category:1986 establishments in Europe]]
[[Category:Scientific organizations established in 1986]]