Europe Launches First Geostationary Sounder Satellite for Weather Forecasting

Extreme weather events like storms, flooding, and heatwaves have caused hundreds of billions of euros in damage and claimed tens of thousands of lives across Europe in the past decades.

MTG-S1 will provide Europe’s national meteorological services with high-frequency data on temperature, humidity and trace gases throughout the atmosphere – enabling forecasters to detect the earliest signs of severe weather, extend the lead times of weather warnings, improve forecasting, and help protect lives and property.

Phil Evans, Director-General of EUMETSAT, said:

"Launched on 1 July 2025, MTG-S1 will provide Europe’s national meteorological services with high-frequency data on temperature, humidity and trace gases throughout the atmosphere – enabling forecasters to detect the earliest signs of severe weather, extend the lead times of weather warnings, improve forecasting, and help protect lives and property."