CGMS provides an international forum for the exchange of technical information on geostationary and polar orbiting meteorological satellite systems.

The Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites (CGMS) came into being on 19 September 1972, when representatives of the European Space Research Organisation (since 1975 called the European Space Agency, ESA), Japan, the United States of America, Observers from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the Joint Planning Staff for the Global Atmosphere Research Programme met in Washington to discuss questions of compatibility among geostationary meteorological satellites.

Since then, CGMS has expanded both in terms of its membership, and its objectives.

Further information about the CGMS
CGMS Organisation CGMS is an informal group functioning on a best efforts basis. It has a Secretariat which is run by EUMETSAT since 1987, with the responsibility to organise annual CGMS Plenary meetings.	CGMS Objectives The objectives of CGMS are formalised within its Charter.
Members The members of the CGMS.	Meetings Plenary meetings are normally held annually in the autumn and are hosted by Members on a rotational basis.
Working Groups In the scope of the annual CGMS plenary meeting, there are currently four working groups which meet: WG I) Telecommunications, WG II) Satellite products including satellite derived winds, WG III) Contingency planning & WG IV) Integrated strategy for data dissemination from meteorological satellites.	Global Space-based Inter-Calibration System (GSICS) The Global Space-based Inter-Calibration System (GSICS) is an initiative of CGMS and WMO, which aims to ensure consistent calibration and inter-calibration of operational meteorological satellite instruments.
CGMS Publications and Reports The Publications and Reports for the CGMS.