The journey of a satellite mission with the European Space Agency

The journey of a satellite mission with the European Space Agency

Author: Gemma Plumb & Aisling Creevey August 14, 2024 Duration: 59:05

We both find weather satellites fascinating and so really enjoyed recording this episode of the podcast. We were incredibly lucky to be able to talk to Graeme Mason and Thorsten Fehr from the European Space Agency in this episode.

Graeme is the Meteorological Programmes Manager at the European Space Agency and is responsible for the implementation of a number of satellite missions including the Meteosat Third Generation and the Arctic Weather Satellite, which we speak to him about in this episode.

Thorsten is the Mission Scientist for the Earth Explorer Programme mission EarthCARE, which stands for Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer, and is the European Space Agency’s clouds and aerosol mission.

In this episode we learn all about the new Arctic Weather satellite, which is due to be launched in the middle of August 2024 and is actually going to be launched alongside 99 other satellites. We also learn about EarthCARE, which was launched at the end of May 2024.

In this episode we cover lots about satellites in general, including how they range in size from a fridge to the size of a bus; as well as how long it takes to develop these satellites before they even get launched.

If you have any questions about weather satellites after listening to this episode, then definitely reach out to Graeme and Thorsten on LinkedIn. You can also find out about these satellite missions as well as many more on the European Space Agency’s website https://www.esa.int/

You can follow us on Instagram @fortheloveofweather and on X @4loveofweather.

We really hope you enjoy this episode of the podcast and leave loving the weather a little bit more.


Ever find yourself actually enjoying a rainy afternoon or wondering why a certain cloud looks the way it does? You're not alone. For the love of weather is the ongoing conversation between meteorologists Gemma Plumb and Aisling Creevey, who have spent over fifteen years forecasting across the UK. This podcast captures the kind of deep-dive chats they've been having for years, moving far beyond simple small talk. They pull back the curtain on what weather really means for our daily lives, drawing on a surprising range of experience. Their professional paths have seen them predicting conditions for everything from major music festivals and national rail networks to agricultural harvests and even ice cream demand, giving them a unique perspective on how the atmosphere connects to the ground beneath our feet. Each episode feels like sitting with two experts who are still genuinely fascinated by their subject, discussing the science behind a storm front, the challenges of a long-range forecast, or how a shift in the wind can change an entire industry's plans. It's a look at the patterns and stories in the sky, grounded in the reality of jobs, life changes, and a shared curiosity that hasn't faded. Tune in for a human take on the forces that shape our days.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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