HY-2 data acquisition service with FMI-ARC Sodankylä kicks off

This service will allow EUMETSAT to redistribute Chinese HY-2 marine satellite data to its users, including Level-1 and Level-2 scatterometer data, Level-2 altimeter products and Level-2 microwave radiometer products. The scatterometer data are particularly valuable for Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP).

The cooperation with the National Satellite Ocean Application Service , State Oceanic Administration of the People’s Republic of China (NSOAS) stretches back several years, beginning with a ”Memorandum of Understanding” between EUMETSAT and NSOAS. The Memorandum states that EUMETSAT has “free access for non-commercial use to data and products from the HY ocean observation satellites operated by NSOAS, and may redistribute those data and products to all users”.

Timo Ryyppö (L) and Simon Elliott, EUMETSAT (R)

Based on this, EUMETSAT has established an operational service for its Member States, taking global HY-2A products produced by NSOAS in Beijing, and, after reformatting as necessary, redistributing them via EUMETCast (EUMETSAT’s primary dissemination mechanism for the near real-time delivery of satellite data and products).

EUMETSAT and the FMI have been running a pilot service since April 2018 for the acquisition of global data from the HY-2A satellite (launched in 2016) at the ARC . This involves acquiring HY-2A passes at ARC Sodankylä and transferring the raw data via an accelerated WAN link to NSOAS in Beijing. NSOAS have modified their operations concept to make use of the data acquired in Sodankylä in their production system.

This has so far contributed greatly to improving the value and the end-to-end timeliness of global data.

We discussed the cooperation with Timo Ryyppö, Head of the Sodankylä Satellite Data Centre who said:

“It’s a great opportunity for us to work with an important international partner and be a part of this global service.

ARC Sodankylä is a leading provider of real-time services and this is a chance for us to support this type of initiative” he went on to add.

“Personally, I feel very satisfied that our long-term work is recognised by a big player such as NSOAS, and this will encourage us to reach new levels where even the sky isn’t the limit”, Ryyppö continued while raising his hand to emphasise his words.

EUMETSAT’s role is to act as the communications link between ARC Sodankylä and NSOAS whilst being a cooperating partner and technical interface to both agencies.

HY-2B was launched in 2018 and declared operational in summer 2019. The HY-2 data acquisition service is currently handling two HY-2A passes per day. In the following weeks, the service will transition to HY-2B delivering five passes per day initially, and may be extended to seven passes per day in the medium term.