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tributing over one third to the programme, much more than any other participant. Currently
first projects calls are being prepared and projects on 11 ECVs are expected to start end of
2009. Programme commitments end in 2014. DLR, for example, intends to bid for ozone,
aerosol and cloud (with CM-SAF/DWD) retrievals.
Due to the longevity needed, operational satellites play the major role in the detection of var
iations or changes in the climate system. In Europe, the operation of meteorological satellites
and the planning of appropriate successor systems are in the responsibility of EUMETSAT
with its headquarters in Darmstadt, Germany. EUMETSAT operates the geostationary
METEOSAT satellites (First and Second Generation) and the European polar-orbiting mete
orological satellite Metop (complementary with the US NOAA satellites), all 3 series devel
oped by ESA. The first data transmitted from a METEOSAT satellite dates from 1977.
METEOSAT has been operating since 1977 above Europe, Africa and the Atlantic and over
the Indian Ocean since 2005. Since 2002 the METEOSAT Second Generation (MSG) is the
primary service, with altogether 4 MSG satellites being secured. It is delivering considerably
improved data with planned continuity at least until 2019. The development of the
METEOSAT Third Generation (MTG) with again improved payload (completely new, addi
tional instruments) is already entering the development phase. MTG will secure data continu
ity and many new observations from about 2016 through to 2030. Also preparations for a
Metop-Follow-on system have started which will provide data from about 2018 for the follow
ing 15 to 20 years. Furthermore, in mid 2008 EUMETSAT with the successful launch of the
Jason-2 satellite, EUMETSAT, as partner in the Franco-US JASON satellite ocean altimetry
programme, provides operational near-real-time data to European users.
With the joint ESA/EU Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative,
Europe will secure long-term continuity for many of the required climate related satellite ob
servations of oceans, atmospheric chemistry, land surfaces, that have been initiated particu
larly by ESA’s ERS and ENVISAT, but also other European programmes. ESA is coordinat
ing the GMES Space Component and implements a Space Component Programme to build
a core capacity for operational space-based Earth observation for GMES. A constellation of
operational satellites, called “Sentinels”, will dramatically increase Europe’s capacity to moni
tor global surface and atmospheric processes. They will be of utmost importance for global
climate monitoring purposes. Currently approved and funded are two SAR satellites (Senti-
nel-1, launches 2011 and 2015), two multispectral satellites (Sentinel-2, launches 2012 and
2016), two medium resolution land and ocean monitoring satellites (Sentinel-3, launches
2012 and 2017), two spectrometer instruments on EUMETSAT’s geostationary MTG mission
(Sentinel-4, launches 2018 and 2024) and a polar-orbiting spectrometer (Sentinel-5 precur
sor, launch 2013) to monitor atmospheric composition, including greenhouse gases. Germa
ny is the largest contributor to ESA’s GMES Space Component Programme.
Within the GMES program DLR is playing a key role in the atmosphere section. From 2006 -
2009 DLR has been leading the ESA GSE project PROMOTE (the GSE for atmosphere)
which demonstrated and evaluated products and services together with more than 60 end
users for stratospheric ozone, UV radiation, air quality, aviation support and climate study
support. The air quality services will move into the FP7-GMES downstream project
PASODOBLE, which is also coordinate by DLR. DLR is also involved in the FP7-GMES core
project for the atmosphere MACC with satellite long-term data provision (vertical ozone pro
files, aerosol composition, solar radiation) and by leading the interface to users and down
stream services. A further FP7-GMES downstream service proposal related to renewable
energies with a major role for DLR is planned for December 2009.
