Status of EUMETSAT Satellite Programs: Towards the Next Generation Meteorological Satellites

Today, EUMETSAT operates the geostationary Meteosat Second Generation (MSG), EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS) programmes and the European Commission Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission. In addition EUMETSAT provides data from the Jason satellites. This presentation gives and update on the status of these satellite programmes, recent improvements to the data and products. The product services provided by EUMETSAT are generated in a distributed application ground segment, including the EUMETSAT Satellite Application Facilities, which are entering their third Continuous Development and Operations Phase.

In addition to introducing the status of the current operational programmes and the anticipated improvements with the new instrumentation on board the next generation geostationary and polar systems, the Meteosat Third Generation and the EPS Second Generation, early results from the improved service over the Indian Ocean area provided by Meteosat-8 will be presented.

Furthermore it should be noted that EUMETSAT coordinate its activities with its international partners. Most prominent is the collaboration with NOAA, on the US side promoted by the late Gary Davies, within which EUMETSAT operates its EPS satellites as part of the Joint Polar System with NOAA and foresees backup services for the geostationary satellite systems.