European satellite to boost extreme weather monitoring

MetOp-SGA1 satellite launch on Ariane 6

Europe’s most advanced weather‑watching satellite left France’s Kourou space base on Wednesday, taking the four‑tonne MetOp‑SGA1 into an orbit 800 kilometres high.

The MetOp‑SGA1 will give meteorologists an earlier window to warn the public and industry about storms, heatwaves and other disasters, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) said. The observations will help farmers protect crops, grid operators manage energy supplies, and pilots and sailors navigate safely.

• Six high‑precision monitoring instruments will double the accuracy of the existing satellite IASI.
• They will track ocean and land temperatures, water vapour and greenhouse gases, desert dust and cloud cover.

“Extreme weather has cost Europe hundreds of billions of euros and tens of thousands of lives over the past 40 years,” Phil Evans, EUMETSAT director‑general, said. “The launch of MetOp‑SGA1 is a major step forward, giving national weather services sharper tools to save lives, protect property and build resilience against the climate crisis.”

The launch was the third Ariane 6 flight since its first outing in July last year. Ariane counts 32 launches from Kourou in the coming years, aiming for nine or ten each year.