Overview
- ESA and EUMETSAT unveiled the inaugural Infrared Sounder imagery at the EU Space Conference in Brussels on January 27, 2026.
- MTG‑S scans nearly 2,000 infrared wavelengths every 30 minutes to retrieve vertical profiles of temperature, humidity and trace gases over Europe and northern Africa.
- The sounder’s half‑hourly observations at roughly 7 km sampling are expected to improve nowcasting and enable earlier prediction of severe storms, according to ESA and EUMETSAT officials.
- Continuous, diurnally resolved measurements support stronger air‑quality monitoring, including tracking pollutants over urban areas throughout the day.
- Operated by EUMETSAT from Darmstadt, the ESA‑developed MTG‑S launched on July 1, 2025, complements MTG imaging and Sentinel‑4, with another imager scheduled to launch later in 2026.