The satellite is the first of six new European weather satellites in the Meteosat Third Generation MTG series and aims to provide significantly more accurate weather forecasts. According to the website of the European Weather Satellite Agency (Eumetsat), the new satellites can provide earth observations with greater range, resolution and frequency. Meteorologists therefore hope to be able to more clearly recognize storm clouds and better predict their lifetimes in the future.
For Europe and surrounding seas, lightning measurements by satellite should also be possible for the first time. MTG will also help improve the accuracy of longer-term forecasts by providing more detailed information on current weather conditions.
In order to use these advantages of the new satellite, ground upgrades are also required. According to forecasts, the volume of available weather data will increase tenfold, according to the government’s announcement in May. Switzerland is making a decisive contribution here: In May, Federal Councilor Alain Berset inaugurated a new ground reception station in Leuk VS.
With three 6.5-metre antennas and the latest technological standards, the station will receive massive amounts of weather information every minute upon launch of the first satellite and transmit it to Eumetstat in Darmstadt, Germany.
The satellites are operated by 30 member countries of Eumetsat. This includes Switzerland. The entire MTG program is scheduled to launch by 2035 and provide data by the 2040s. It will cost three billion euros in total. Switzerland carries 3.5 percent of it.
(SDA)