New weather satellite delivers early data just weeks after launch

Less than a month since launch, a powerful new weather satellite is already at work. As it silently orbits around Earth, it is sending back data that may actually make a difference in the way we know weather and can predict it.

Launched on August 13, the satellite is named MetOp-SG-A1. It’s the first of a new generation of weather satellites developed in Europe.

Although it’s yet to enter operational mode, it’s already returning early data from two of its most sophisticated instruments.

This is an important milestone in what will be a 20-year mission to assist forecasters in being ahead of the storms, and monitoring long-term changes in the climate.

Why weather satellites matter

It’s no secret that the weather has been getting more extreme. Bigger storms. Heat waves. Unpredictable rainfall. As these events become more common, the need for accurate, timely forecasts is critical – not just for convenience, but for safety and long-term planning.

MetOp-SG-A1 is part of the MetOp Second Generation (MetOp-SG) mission. The idea is to keep high-quality weather data flowing for decades while also improving how detailed and reliable that data is.

The new satellites circle the Earth from pole to pole, scanning the entire planet in strips. That polar orbit gives them a global view, and includes remote areas where weather observations are hard to get.

The mission was built through years of teamwork. The European Space Agency (ESA) handled the satellite’s design and development.

Eumetsat, the European organization in charge of meteorological satellites, took on the launch and now oversees operations.

The two agencies are working together to turn the satellite’s raw data into information that weather services can use around the world.

First signs from space

Though it’s only been in space for three weeks, MetOp-SG-A1’s Microwave Sounder (MWS) and Radio Occultation (RO) instruments are already up and running. These are two of the satellite’s most important tools.

The MWS pulls in data on temperature and humidity from different layers of the atmosphere. It replaces older instruments from the first generation of MetOp satellites, rolling them into a single unit with better resolution and more capabilities.

Instead of the 48-mile resolution of older models, the new version weather satellite can zoom in at about 12 miles (19 kilometers). That kind of detail helps spot smaller weather patterns and track them more precisely.

Weather viewed from space

One early image from August 24, captured by Channel 17 of the MWS, showed detailed cloud formations over the oceans.

A swirl of red over the North Atlantic highlighted what was left of Hurricane Erin – a deep, convective cloud system.

Another image from Channel 2 gave a wide view of summer surface temperatures across Europe and nearby oceans.

The MWS uses 24 different channels in total. Each one picks up a different piece of the temperature and humidity puzzle. Together, they give forecasters a vertical snapshot of the atmosphere, layer by layer.

More data, fewer gaps

The RO instrument uses a different technique to scan the atmosphere. It tracks how signals from GPS and other navigation satellites bend as they pass through the Earth’s atmosphere. This bending reveals how temperature and humidity vary by altitude.

The new version of this tool is a serious upgrade. It doesn’t just use GPS anymore – it also pulls in signals from Europe’s Galileo and China’s BeiDou systems.

That triple-constellation approach allows the instrument to take more than 1,600 measurements per day, three times more than before.

And importantly, it fills in data gaps over the oceans, where it’s usually harder to collect detailed information.

From August 20 to 26, the instrument collected data over the Southern Pacific, showing how its readings lined up with forecast models.

The results show promise, especially in places where previous forecasts had limited real-world data on which to rely.

What’s next for the satellite

This early data looks promising, but it’s not ready for public or operational use just yet. The weather satellite is still going through a long commissioning process to make sure everything is working exactly as it should. That includes testing, calibrating, and fine-tuning each instrument to ensure accuracy.

This phase will take several more months. Still, the early results are giving scientists and engineers confidence.

“Receiving these first data so quickly is a thrilling achievement for Eumetsat, particularly considering the technological sophistication of Metop-SG-A1 and its payload,” said Phil Evans, Eumetsat Director-General.

“In collaboration with ESA and our European industry partners, Eumetsat teams are working intensely to render all the satellite’s instruments operational, and the fact that data is already flowing seamlessly from the MWS and the RO shows that we are firmly on the right track to having powerful, validated products ready for our user community in the planned timeframe.”

Simonetta Cheli, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes thanked all the teams who contributed to the mission.

She stressed that this is a major undertaking involving six satellites flying in successive pairs and delivering critical data for at least the next 20 years.

New chapter in weather observation

MetOp-SG-A1 is just the beginning. Five more satellites will follow over the coming decades, flying in pairs to provide continuous coverage.

Each pair will include an A-type and a B-type satellite, each with its own set of instruments to collect complementary data.

The mission is designed to deliver data that helps not just with day-to-day forecasts, but also with longer-term climate models.

The more complete and accurate the data, the better scientists can track changes in Earth’s systems and prepare for what’s ahead.

For now, MetOp-SG-A1 is off to a solid start. Its instruments are awake, its data streams are flowing, and a new chapter in weather observation has officially begun.

Information for this article was obtained from a press release by ESA.

Image showing MetOp-SG-A1 Microwave Sounder data on temperature and humidity.

Image credit: ESA

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