Our history

 

Forty years of monitoring weather, climate and the environment from space

The rationale behind EUMETSAT

Last Updated

19 June 2026

Published on

05 March 2026

Before diving into EUMETSAT’s history on this page, it’s worth taking a moment to set the scene for how the organisation came to life.

Early European efforts in satellite meteorology began in the late 1960s, pioneered by national weather services and the European Space Research Organisation (ESRO).

Their work laid the foundations for cooperative European space science and Earth observation programmes, and in 1975, ESRO merged with the European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO) to form the European Space Agency (ESA).

European research into the use of satellites for operational weather forecasting led ESRO to adopt Meteosat as Europe’s first meteorological satellite programme in 1972. Its mission was to provide forecasters with near real‑time, full‑disc views of Earth from geostationary orbit.

The first prototype, Meteosat‑1, was launched by ESA in November 1977 and proved the viability and value of weather satellites for operational services.

Throughout the 1970s, European meteorological services lobbied for a sustained and coordinated European system to provide satellite data to improve short‑range forecasting. European ministers concluded that the long-term delivery of operational weather data and services required a dedicated organisation to work alongside ESA.

EUMETSAT begins

The momentum behind this idea continued to grow through the 1980s and led to the foundation of EUMETSAT in 1986.

From an initial team of four, EUMETSAT has grown significantly as the scope of our activities has expanded. Today, more than one thousand people work on site and are our greatest asset. On our growing campus in Darmstadt, we bring together a highly skilled multinational workforce.

EUMETSAT has always embraced change – on the ground as well as in space.

Today, we are harnessing new technologies and digital transformation initiatives to empower our workforce. Innovation is the key for both individuals and our organisation to thrive in the future.

Click through the interactive milestones below to learn about EUMETSAT’s journey.

Oral archives

In this section we invite you to discover some oral history interviews of members of the EUMETSAT community: you will hear stories, memories and personal knowledge from the past four decades, told by individuals from across the organisation's past, and anecdotes that have added flavour and colour to this history.

This collection was started in 2024 and will grow in future years. It aims to capture a variety of memories which highlights the richness and diversity of EUMETSAT’s people through their own eyes, told with their own words.

François Parisot

François Parisot

Altimetry Manager

François joined EUMETSAT in 2003 as project manager for the Jason-2 mission. Over his 17-year career at EUMETSAT, he worked extensively on satellite altimetry on Jason-2 and -3, and later for the Copernicus Sentinel-6 programme. In his interview, he discussed the evolution of instruments and products over his time at EUMETSAT, as well as relationships with the global altimetry community.

Livio Mastroddi

Director of Operations and Services to Users

Livio joined EUMETSAT as Director of Operations and Services to Users in 2013 until his retirement in 2022, after having spent some 30 years at Telespazio. His interview offers a glimpse into EUMETSAT’s daily operations and service delivery.

Madaline Pooley

Madeleine Pooley

Conference and Events Manager

Madeleine worked for EUMETSAT even before it was established, working at ESA on the EUMETSAT foundation project. She was one of the initial few to join EUMETSAT in 1986 as Personal Assistant to EUMETSAT’s first Director John Morgan. Consequently, most of the things she did at EUMETSAT were a first! She retired from the organisation, in the role of Conference and Events Manager, in 2013.

Ruth Weitzel

Librarian

Ruth was EUMETSAT's first Librarian, building up a valuable resource for all those working at EUMETSAT, regardless of their role, to access material supporting their work and professional interests. In this interview, Ruth shares how she turned challenges into opportunities – and created an open space of learning for us all at EUMETSAT.

Silvia-Castaner

Silvia Castañer

Director of Administration

Silvia joined EUMETSAT as a Legal Officer in 1990. She became the Head of Legal Affairs Division in 2004 and finally Director of Administration in 2014, retiring in 2024. In her interview, she recounts how EUMETSAT changed and developed over three decades. Her interesting insights show how EUMETSAT built on its foundations to become a trusted global player in monitoring weather and climate from space.

Yves Buhler

Director Technical and Scientific Support

Yves joined EUMETSAT in 1992 and experienced many developments and changes of the organisation, and satellite and meteorological technologies. He worked in both Programme Development and Operations, before being appointed as the first Director of TSS (the Technical and Scientific Support Department) in 2012. His interview provides a multi-faceted, long-view narrative of EUMETSAT though three decades.