METimage Instrument on Metop-SG-A1 to Enhance Forecast Accuracy and Extreme Weather Warnings

German Multispectral Camera METimage Instrument on Metop-SG-A1 to Enhance Forecast Accuracy and Extreme Weather Warnings

2025-08-20 Source: DLR 2 min Reading Time

On 13 August 2025, EUMETSAT’s Metop-SG-A1 satellite will launch aboard an Ariane 6 from Kourou, carrying the German-built METimage multispectral radiometer. Designed to provide highly detailed atmospheric observations, METimage will improve short-term forecasts, support extreme weather warnings, and contribute vital data for climate research.

Metop-SG-A1 in horizontal position during final assembly: The solar panel is being attached to the front before the satellite is transported to the launch site. On board is the German-built METimage instrument, a core payload for all three generations of Metop-SG satellites. Operating in polar orbit, these platforms will deliver high-resolution weather and climate data over the programme’s planned 24-year lifetime, improving global forecasts by up to ten days in advance.(Source: ESA - M. Pédoussaut) — Metop-SG-A1 in horizontal position during final assembly: The solar panel is being attached to the front before the satellite is transported to the launch site. On board is the German-built METimage instrument, a core payload for all three generations of Metop-SG satellites. Operating in polar orbit, these platforms will deliver high-resolution weather and climate data over the programme’s planned 24-year lifetime, improving global forecasts by up to ten days in advance.
(Source: ESA - M. Pédoussaut)

Satellite-based observations are a cornerstone of modern meteorology, particularly for remote or inaccessible regions. METimage, developed and built under the coordination of the German Space Agency at DLR with Airbus Defence and Space as prime contractor, will significantly improve the precision of weather forecasts in Europe and worldwide.

Operating across 20 spectral channels from 443 nanometres to 13.345 micrometres, METimage can distinguish between cloud types, snow, and ice, measure cloud height, detect vegetation health, assess ocean surface temperatures, and identify wildfires. These measurements will enhance “nowcasting” capabilities—short-term forecasts for the next two to six hours that are critical for issuing timely warnings of severe weather events.

The instrument’s high spatial resolution will provide unprecedented detail on cloud properties, including height, composition, and droplet size. This data will be integrated into numerical weather prediction models, improving both forecast accuracy and climate modelling. By refining the representation of cloud processes, METimage will help reduce one of the largest uncertainties in current weather and climate projections.

Programme Context

METimage is part of the EUMETSAT Polar System – Second Generation (EPS-SG), Europe’s contribution to the joint U.S.–European polar-orbiting meteorological satellite system. The Metop-SG series comprises three A- and three B-type satellites, ensuring continuity of key atmospheric datasets until the mid-2040s. A-type satellites carry instruments for atmospheric sounding and imaging, including the Copernicus Sentinel-5 payload for global air quality monitoring, while B-type satellites focus on microwave imaging and radar observations.

The METimage hardware was developed by Airbus Defence and Space in cooperation with over 50 subcontractors. Two additional flight models are planned for launch aboard Metop-SG-A2 in 2032 and A3 in 2039, ensuring continuous delivery of high-resolution meteorological and climate data into the late 2040s.

Strategic Significance

According to the German Weather Service (DWD), the increasing frequency of extreme weather events demands more precise, high-resolution atmospheric data. METimage’s measurements will be used in advanced data assimilation techniques and, in combination with AI-based analysis, are expected to improve both daily forecasts and long-term climate assessments. For policymakers and infrastructure managers, such early warnings and detailed climate information are essential to mitigate the societal and economic impacts of severe weather. (mbf)

The METimage Instrument

Operating from an altitude of 830 km, METimage scans a 2,560 km-wide swath every 1.7 seconds, achieving a spatial resolution of 500 m per pixel. A rotating mirror enables complete Earth coverage every 12 hours.
The instrument combines visible and infrared detectors, with the infrared sensors cooled to below –200 °C to maximise sensitivity. It records 20 spectral channels ranging from 443 nanometres to 13.345 micrometres—compared to just six on its predecessor, AVHRR.
These channels are selected to distinguish between visually similar features such as clouds, snow, and ice; determine cloud height; measure ocean surface temperatures; identify vegetation; and detect active wildfires.

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