A new Swedish-made satellite is soon about to be launched into space. Along with 19 others, which will hopefully also go into orbit around the Earth in the next few years, it will change our weather forecasts.
– It will provide significant improvements, says the research leader at SMHI.
There are several thousand satellites orbiting the globe, but up here, closer to the poles, the coverage is sparse. That’s why the new satellite and the 19 that will hopefully follow it in a few years will make a difference. The satellite constellation will provide new information on our latitudes.
– We expect that this constellation will bring significant improvements to weather forecasts, says Adam Dybbroe, who is the research leader at SMHI.
Will measure moisture in the clouds
By 2029, all 20 satellites are expected to be in orbit around the Earth. Among other things, they will measure the humidity inside the clouds, which among other things will make it easier to predict where and when it will start to rain. Given climate change, this will become even more important in the future.
– In the event of severe downpours and heavy rain, the floods can be significant and in the worst case it can cost lives. So getting the information about a downpour three hours earlier can be a matter of life and death, says Adam Dybbroe.
Joakim Kugelberg from OHB Sweden is the project manager for the satellite construction:
– The data from this satellite will be extremely valuable for the population in terms of transport and agriculture. There are a great many societal functions that benefit from having reliability in your weather forecasts.
Facts about the satellite investment
The first satellite to be sent at the beginning of July has been ordered by ESA. The other 19 are planned to be delivered between 2026 and 2029. The customer for these is EuMetSat, the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites in collaboration with ESA. A definitive decision will be made in 2025.