* Astronomy

When the Delta rocket carrying the first Meteosat lifted off from Cape Canaveral in November 1977, Europe gained the ability to gather weather data over its own territory with its own satellite. Meteosat began as a research programme for a single satellite by the European Space Research Organisation, a predecessor of the European Space Agency (ESA). Once the satellite was in orbit, the immense value of the images and data it provided led to the move from a research to an operational mission requiring a dedicated organisation to conduct it. In anticipation of the founding of EUMETSAT, ESA launched the Meteosat Operational Programme (MOP) in March 1983. This covered the construction and launch of three more Meteosat satellites and all operational activities until November 1995. EUMETSAT ultimately became reality in June 1986, with the operational provision of Meteosat images and data as its initial raison detre.

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Operational history:

• Meteosat-1 1977-October 1979 *
• Meteosat-2 1981-1991
• Meteosat-3 1988-1995
• Meteosat-4 1989-1995
• Meteosat-5 1991-2007
• Meteosat-6 1993-2006
• Meteosat-7 1997-2013

*) Due to a radiometer problem the imaging stopped and the satellite was only used for data dissemination.