Meteosat Satellites

Meteorological satellite METEOSAT

METEOSAT satellites are in their third generation with images of the Earth increasingly thin. Geostationary satellites like METEOSAT satellites are positioned in geostationary orbit at 36,000 km altitude.
These satellites are powerful enough to observe at each moment the fifth of the Earth's surface against by their spatial resolution is limited, it is only about 1 km.
Their apparent immobility can transmit images of the place of observation, every 15 minutes, for Meteosat 8, the second generation satellite METEOSAT.
Meteosat constellation is equipped with an imaging radiometer that evolves from generation to generation, in 2012 SEVIRI is able to scan 12 spectral bands of the mid-infrared and thermal infrared every 15 minutes.
This allows it to provide even finer images with a resolution three times higher than that of previous radiometers. Local climatic phenomena are best analyzed with the finesse of the scanning radiometer. Indeed the satellite rotates at 100 revolutions per minute around its axis which is parallel to the North-South axis of the Earth, it allows him to scan the surface of the Earth on a narrow strip at every turn on itself, every 600 ms.

At this speed, the scanning angle corresponding to 18°, is described in 30 ms. During the remaining 570 ms to finish turn on itself, the telescope takes the opportunity to change the orientation of the mirror, so that at the next round, it sweeps the ground band North, adjoining the preceding. Acquiring a complete picture 3712 scanning application, as there are three sensors that have to wait approximately 1 250 revolutions of the satellite, i.e. 12 minutes 30 seconds. 2 minutes 30 seconds following the return of spent mirror to its initial position and calibration of the detectors.

Image: The first image from MSG-3, the third satellite Meteosat Second Generation was taken August 7, 2012, it shows the finesse of our habitat as can be seen at 35 800 km altitude. SEVIRI, the main instrument of MSG-3 is a scanning imaging radiometer that observes climate phenomena in the visible and infrared, visible channels of 12, mid-infrared and thermal infrared every 15 minutes. © umetsat

Global observation system dedicated to meteorology

METEOSAT satellite is the best known, because of the daily circulation of her images during weather reports of various news programs.
Meteosat at the initiative of France, is Europe's contribution to global observation system dedicated to meteorology and climatology.
The first Meteosat was launched 23 November 1977 and operated until 1979.
Meteosat-2, launched in 1981 took over, and since then there has been no interruption of service Meteosat, which is managed by the European organization EUMETSAT since 1995.
Meteosat-1 to Meteosat-7 are among the first generation of Meteosat satellites. From Meteosat-8 (MSG-1), it produces satellite MSG (Meteosat Second Generation), mostly equipped with a 12-channel radiometer called SEVIRI.
Meteosat rotates at 100 rpm around its main axis, a radiometer analysis of surface and converts scanned images are transmitted in real time to the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany.

From an altitude of 35,800 km, Meteosat-9 (MSG-2), above the equator at 0 ° E, just west of Africa, scans the Earth every quarter hour (96 times a day).
Meteosat covers Europe, Africa, Middle East, the eastern parts of South America and the Atlantic Ocean and a western Indian Ocean.
In 2007, the ESA program celebrated its 30th anniversary in effect the first launch (Meteosat-1) dated November 23, 1977.