Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. After full deployment, scheduled to be completed in 2026, the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) system will boast three satellites in geostationary orbit perched at 36,000km above the equator over Africa, offering up images of Europe every two and a half minutes, including observations of lightning from space.
Meteorologists are anticipating breakthrough developments as the trailblazer in a triad of new, third-generation European satellites is expected to help predict violent weather, such as thunderstorms and lightning.
Meteosat-12, or the Meteosat Third Generation first imager satellite (MTG-I1), is tailored to provide regular high-resolution images of fast developing weather. The satellite is fitted with two key instruments on board:
Two of the new satellites will send images of Earth’s weather systems utilizing the innovative lightning imager, along with “lightning data” used for short-range storm forecasting. The inclusion of a camera to detect lightning has been hailed as a “game changer” in efforts to be one step ahead of imminent, hazardous weather.
The third – a sounding satellite – will use infrared to provide three-dimensional profiles of the atmosphere. Armed with the new data from the MTG systems, meteorological services will be able to offer forecasting up to two hours ahead of a weather “event”- something that has been dubbed “nowcasting.”
According to Phil Evans, the director general of Eumetsat, more accurate observations from space are crucial for better forecasting, allowing to “reduce and mitigate the impacts of severe weather events.”
Currently, the company Eumetsat operates Meteosat-9, -10 and -11, launched by the European Space Agency (ESA), in geostationary orbit over Europe and Africa, and the Indian Ocean.
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