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Europeans Launch New Generation Of Weather Satellites

Posted by timothy on from the wetter dept.

dankelley writes: "The BBC is reporting that the European Space Agency has successfully launched the first of a new generation of weather satellites. This is 25 years after the first weather satellite, meteosat. This new generation will supply images at 15 minutes, compared with 30 minutes in the first generation. This should help with rapidly-developing weather events. Also, the 'view' will be in 12, rather than 3, visible/IR wavelength bands. The improved spectral resolution is hoped to facilitate climate modelling. Details are available on the ESA webpage devoted to the launch."

4 of 10 comments (clear)

  1. WHAT? by 216pi · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Europe (I live in Germany [cnn.com]) has MAJOR problems [spiegel.de] (German news site, but just browse the pics) with the weather. Only Germany has estimated damages of something around 50 billion dollars only caused by this flood after heavy rainfalls.

    Weather is NOT just a question if you can have a BBQ on weekend.

    Please ask your president to sign the Kyoto contracts, thanks.

    1. Re:WHAT? by Yokaze · · Score: 2

      Can you spell "troll"?

      >> Unlikely time... Middle East and Africa are in chaos.
      At what time were they not in chaos.

      >>rocket launches with the oil shortage.

      I've still to see a rocket stopping at a petrol station.

      > flood after heavy rainfall
      >>clouds and taking pictures of people under those clouds is just an adjustment in focus.

      And the difference between seeing through a wall and at a wall?
      Well, a bit more seriously... The satellite is orbiting at an altitude of 35,780km.
      A bit too high to make a good spy satellite, which orbit at about 1,200km to 2,400km.

      >>Remind anyone else of 1984?
      Yeah, sure provoke the "if you don't have anything to hide..." and "just because I'm paranoid, it doesn't mean that they are not watching" fractions.

      >>as threatening as a missile defense system
      When this doesn't provoke a flame war...

      >please ask your president to sign the Kyoto contracts, thanks

      ...this does.

      (Me, hoping it was water instead of oil)

      --
      "Between strong and weak, between rich and poor [...], it is freedom which oppresses and the law which sets free"
  2. TIROS I (1960) was the first weather satellite by Dammital · · Score: 2, Informative
    ...25 years after the first weather satellite, meteosat

    Somebody has to quibble. TIROS Iwas launched over 42 years ago!
    1. Re:TIROS I (1960) was the first weather satellite by Lars+T. · · Score: 4, Informative

      25 years after their first weather satellite, meteosat

      --

      Lars T.

      To the guy who modded me down from perfect to terrible Karma - Apple haters still suck