Teledyne e2v, part of the Teledyne Technologies, delivered the custom-designed CMOS image sensor for ESA and the Eumetsat MTG-I imaging satellite. Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) will take over from the two previous Metrological satellite missions that are currently in operation.
The first image from this new weather satellite reveals significantly higher detail of cloud vortices, snow cover on the Alps and sediment in the water along the coast of Italy than previously possible, enabling more accurate prediction and analysis of weather phenomena over Europe. This enhances ‘Nowcasting’, defined as the real-time monitoring of rapidly evolving and potentially damaging weather events such as thunderstorms, where improved warnings could make a difference to public safety and the protection of infrastructure.
For Teledyne e2v this is a significant achievement – where long-established CCD imagers have been transitioned to CMOS detectors performing at the highest level for this demanding application.
Gabriela Druitt, Director of Engineering for Space Imaging at Teledyne e2v, said: “It’s great to see these fantastic results. It is a testament to the efforts and skills within our teams who worked on the design, manufacture, and testing of this challenging sensor. We look forward to more reliable weather forecasting that MTG-I will bring. We are continuing to make rapid progress in the advancement of technology for space imaging, including for Earth observation, for many of the world’s space agencies and industrial players.”