Europe has unveiled the first satellite in a four-billion-euro ($4 billion) series designed to provide early warning of the severe weather waves that have wreaked havoc around the world this year.
The MTG-I1 satellite, which is the result of 12 years of development for the European Space Agency and the European Meteorological Organization (EUMETSAT), which includes 30 countries, will be launched by the end of this year on an Ariane 5 rocket, and will give a better picture of the Space for Europe and Africa.
The 3.8-ton satellite will send images starting next year, and it will be joined by three other satellites of the same type and the MTGS-S satellites, capable of dissecting the atmosphere in a way that is very similar to a medical scanner. by 2030.
Scientists hope that satellites will be able to predict storms and floods early enough to save lives.
And the atmospheric survey will provide a better picture of the current conditions for inclusion in their computerized models.
The initiative highlights the race to tackle weather disruptions exacerbated by global warming, which are estimated to cost $100 billion worldwide in 2021 alone.
The MTG-I1 satellites will bring Europe closely into line with the GOES-R network operated by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
European officials say China has tested the technology with less accuracy but has yet to publish it, while acknowledging that Beijing's space program is developing rapidly.
The engineers pointed out that European satellite technology will detect storms before they become visible on conventional radar.
"We can see the storm. It's the new technology that picks it up and we can then predict it," said Paul Blyth, director of the MTG program at the European Space Agency.
"The faster the response and capabilities of these satellites, the better they are at following rapidly changing weather events," said Christian Bank, director of development at YumeSat.