New Satellite has begun taking the Earth's Temperature
The temperature of the Earth, through its thermal and reflected energy, is now being measured more accurately than ever thanks to the operation of a new satellite based and UK developed detector called GERB 3. This device will be key to the tracking of climate trends over the next 5 years. The Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) 3 instrument, aboard the latest European weather satellite MSG-3, was successfully activated 9th August and the first image produced the next day. The data that will now become available from GERB 3 will be vital to validate climate models in new ways and measure clear changes in climactic patterns. Read more
MSG-3, Europe's latest weather satellite, delivers first image
Today, the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) instrument on MSG-3 captured its first image of the Earth. This demonstrates that Europe's latest geostationary weather satellite, launched on 5 July, is performing well and is on its way to taking over operational service after six months of commissioning. The European Space Agency (ESA) was responsible for the initial operations after launch (the so-called launch and early orbit phase) of MSG-3 and handed over the satellite to EUMETSAT on 16 July. Read more
ESA hands over MSG-3 weather satellite to EUMETSAT
Today at 14:00 local time, following the successful launch of the satellite on 5 July aboard an Ariane 5 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana, and after 11 days of LEOP (Launch and Early Orbit Phase) by ESA's Centre, ESOC, EUMETSAT took control of the MSG-3 operations. Read more
Meteosat launches to maintain Europe's weather services
The latest spacecraft in Europe's long-running Meteosat series has just gone into orbit on an Ariane rocket. It is now being manoeuvred into a position some 36,000km above the Earth from where it can keep a constant watch on developing weather systems. Read more