Europe's next-generation weather satellite in space

The European Space Agency has launched a new-generation satellite mission that will be able to monitor the life cycle of convective storms from space for the first time and improve instantaneous and very short-term weather forecasts.

The Meteosat Third Generation-Sounder 1 (MTG-S1) satellite, developed with the contribution of 30 countries including the European Union and Türkiye, was successfully launched into space from the US Cape Canaveral Air Base at midnight Türkiye time.

According to a statement from the General Directorate of Meteorology , prior to the launch at midnight Turkish time, an event was organized by the European Meteorological Satellite Operations Organization (EUMETSAT), which is responsible for operating the satellite, at its headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany.

Volkan Mutlu Coşkun, Director General of Meteorology of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, and the director generals of meteorology of 30 EUMETSAT member countries also attended the event.

MTG-S1 satellite, the second satellite of the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) Satellite Program, will be one of the 6 satellites that will serve for 20 years within the scope of the program. EUMETSAT, of which Turkey is a founding member, will operate MTG-S1.

Data from the nine meteorological satellites currently operated by EUMETSAT are used in weather forecasting and early warning systems in member countries. This capacity will increase significantly with the commissioning of the new generation MTG-S1.