Meteosat A Spot

Meteosat series

 

Geostationary satellites providing imagery for the early detection of fast-developing severe weather, weather forecasting and climate monitoring

Meteosat A Spot
Meteosat A Spot

Meteosat satellites have been providing crucial data for weather forecasting since 1977.

Last Updated

13 June 2023

Published on

15 April 2020

EUMETSAT currently operates Meteosat-9, -10 and -11 in geostationary orbit (36,000km) over Europe and Africa, and the Indian Ocean.

The Meteosat satellites are operated as a two-satellite system providing detailed full disc imagery over Europe and Africa every 15 minutes and rapid scan imagery over Europe, every five minutes.

Meteosat imagery is crucial for nowcasting, which is about detecting rapidly developing high impact weather and predicting its evolution a few hours ahead, in support of the safety of life and property.

Observations are also used for weather forecasting (as input to numerical weather prediction models), and for climate monitoring.

Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) - A new era in weather and climate monitoring

Meteosat's valuable contribution will continue into the 2040s with the advent of Meteosat Third Generation (MTG).

The MTG system is one of the most innovative weather satellite systems ever built. When it is fully deployed, it will include two identical imaging satellites (MTG-I) with new and enhanced capabilities (FCI and LI), and for the first time over Europe, a sounding satellite (MTG-S) carrying an infrared sounder and the Copernicus Sentinel-4 Ultraviolet Visible and Near-infrared instrument.

Facts and figures

    • MTG-I1

      • Launch date:
      • 13/12/2022. Start of 12-month commissioning period
      • Details:
      • Imaging (FCI, LI, DCS, GEOSAR)
    • MTG-S1

      • Planned launch date:
      • Q4 2024 - Q2 2025
      • Details:
      • Sounding (IRS, UVN)
    • MTG-I2

      • Planned launch date:
      • Q2 - Q3 2026
      • Details:
      • Imaging (FCI, LI)
    • MTG-I3

      • Planned launch date:
      • Around 10 years after MTG-I1
      • Details:
      • Imaging (FCI, LI)
    • MTG-S2

      • Planned launch date:
      • Around 10 years after MTG-S1
      • Details:
      • Sounding (IRS, UVN)
    • MTG-I4

      • Planned launch date:
      • Around 10 years after MTG-I3
      • Details:
      • Imaging (FCI, LI)
    • Meteosat-8

      • Launch date:
      • 28/08/2002
      • Prime date:
      • 1/02/2017
      • Retirement date:
      • 1/07/2022
      • Details:
      • 0 degree coverage, IODC (31/03/2017-1/06/2022)
    • Meteosat-7

      • Launch date:
      • 02/09/1997
      • Prime date:
      • 03/06/1998
      • Retirement date:
      • 31/03/2017
      • Details:
      • 0 degree coverage, IODC (01/11/2006–31/03/2017)
    • Meteosat-6

      • Launch date:
      • 19/11/1993
      • Prime date:
      • 21/10/1996
      • Retirement date:
      • 15/04/2011
      • Details:
      • 0 degree coverage, RSS (22/05/2000–08/01/2007)
    • Meteosat-5

      • Launch date:
      • 02/03/1991
      • Prime date:
      • 02/05/1991
      • Retirement date:
      • 16/04/2007
      • Details:
      • 0 degree coverage, IODC (01/07/1998–16/04/2007)
    • Meteosat-4

      • Launch date:
      • 06/03/1989
      • Prime date:
      • 19/06/1989
      • Retirement date:
      • 08/11/1995
      • Details:
      • 0 degree coverage
    • Meteosat-3

      • Launch date:
      • 15/06/1988
      • Prime date:
      • 11/08/1988
      • Retirement date:
      • 31/05/1995
      • Details:
      • 0 degree coverage, ADC (01/08/1991–27/01/1993), XADC (21/02/1993–31/05/1995)
    • Meteosat-2

      • Launch date:
      • 19/06/1981
      • Prime date:
      • 16/08/1981
      • Retirement date:
      • 11/08/1988
      • Details:
      • 0 degree coverage
    • Meteosat-1

      • Launch date:
      • 23/11/1977
      • Prime date:
      • 09/12/1977
      • Retirement date:
      • 25/11/1979
      • Details:
      • 0 degree coverage