Europe's next-generation weather satellite sends back first images
9 days ago
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- First images from Meteosat Third Generation-Sounder (MTG-S) satellite shared at the European Space Conference in Brussels.
- Images show Earth's temperature and humidity from geostationary orbit, aiding more accurate weather forecasting over Europe and northern Africa.
- Temperature image uses long-wave infrared to measure surface and cloud-top temperatures, with dark red indicating warm land and blue indicating cold clouds.
- Humidity image uses medium-wave infrared to measure atmospheric humidity, with blue for high humidity and red for low humidity.
- MTG-S provides data every 30 minutes, complementing MTG-Imager (MTG-I) satellite data on cloud formation and lightning.
- Infrared Sounder on MTG-S is the first European hyperspectral sounding instrument in geostationary orbit, enabling 3D atmospheric mapping.
- MTG mission developed by ESA with partners to improve weather and air quality forecasting, with MTG-S launched on 1 July 2025.
- MTG-S also hosts Copernicus Sentinel-4 mission, which delivered its first images last year.