Weather in 4D Every 30 Minutes: Europe’s First Geostationary Infrared Sounder Enters Operational Service

DARMSTADT, Germany: For the first time, weather forecasters will have access to near-real-time, four-dimensional observations of the atmosphere over Europe every 30 minutes from Europe’s first meteorological infrared sounder in geostationary orbit.

EUMETSAT invites media to mark this milestone as the Infrared Sounder (IRS) on board MTG-S1 enters operational service. To mark the occasion, MTG-S1 will also take the name Meteosat-13.

The event will showcase the first operational IRS data and EUMETSAT’s 4D weather cube, which combines observations of atmospheric profiles, winds, convection and lightning from three key MTG instruments. Before MTG, only weather models could provide this complete view; now it can be built from real observations and updated every 30 minutes.

Journalists will have the opportunity to discover the new data and hear how they can support weather forecasting and the monitoring of rapidly developing and potentially severe weather.

Media representatives are invited to register by contacting press@eumetsat.int by 17:00 CEST on 8 October 2026. Journalists may register either for the full on-site programme or to attend the 13:00 press conference online only.

Programme (all times in CEST)

11:00 – Welcome and behind-the-scenes visit at EUMETSAT

• Presentation of the MTG-S1 satellite model
• Visit to the Mission Control Room, from where the satellite is operated

12:00 – Buffet lunch and possibility to conduct interviews

Opportunity for informal exchanges with EUMETSAT experts and other participants.

13:00 – Press conference and Q&A

Speakers:

• Phil Evans, Director-General, EUMETSAT
• Bojan Bojkov, Head of the Remote Sensing and Products Division, EUMETSAT
• Tony McNally, Head of Earth System Assimilation and Principal Scientist, ECMWF

Followed by Q&A and interview opportunities.

For more information on MTG-S1, please visit our dedicated press page.

EUMETSAT – Trusted in Space. Essential on Earth.

For more information, visit the EUMETSAT website.

Fonte: Business Wire