Charter
The objectives of CGMS are formalised within its Charter:
- CGMS provides a forum for the exchange of technical information on geostationary and polar-orbiting meteorological satellite systems and research & development missions, such as reporting on current meteorological satellite status and future plans, telecommunications matters, operations, intercalibration of sensors, processing algorithms, products and their validation, data transmission formats and future data transmission standards.
- CGMS harmonises meteorological satellite mission parameters (such as orbits, sensors, data formats and downlink frequencies) to the greatest extent possible.
- CGMS encourages complementarity, compatibility and possible mutual back-up in the event of system failure through cooperative mission planning, compatible meteorological data products and services and the coordination of space and data-related activities, thus complementing the work of other international satellite coordinating mechanisms.
Click here for the complete CGMS charter.
5-year rolling priority plan (HLPP)
The main goals of the coordination activities of the Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites – CGMS – are to support operational weather monitoring and forecasting as well as climate monitoring, in response to requirements formulated by WMO, its programmes and other programmes jointly supported by WMO and other international agencies.
It is the policy of CGMS to coordinate satellite systems of its members in an end-to-end perspective, including protection of in-orbit assets and support to users – e.g. through appropriate training – as required to facilitate and develop shared access to and use of satellite data and products in various applications. This policy is reflected in the structure of the High-Level Priority Plan (HLPP), covering:
- Operational continuity and contingency planning
- Coordination of satellite systems and operations
- Coordination of data access and end user support
- Enhancement of the quality of satellite-derived data and products
- Monitoring of climate including greenhouse gases
- Space weather monitoring
- Outreach and training activities
The HLPP is a rolling 5-year plan and is seen as part of a longer term perspective, in particular as regards the new challenges raised by climate change and operational greenhouse gas monitoring.
The plan is reviewed on an annual basis, considering in particular new requirements and perspectives arising from interactions with the user and scientific communities, the development of applications, e.g. Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP), and relevant research activities. The plan will also ensure proper interaction with other space agencies and their relevant constituencies (e.g. CEOS including its working groups and virtual constellations).
Highlight priorities for the period 2019-2023 include:
- Secure the continuity of the CGMS baseline system, in particular take actions to ensure continuity of passive microwave imager measurements; and long-term continuity of the Early Morning orbit;
- Advance the response to the WIGOS 2040 vision for space, by the implementation of new capabilities beyond the CGMS baseline;
- Advancing the architecture for climate monitoring from space through the joint CEOS-CGMS Working Group on Climate (JWGClimate);
- Contribute to the implementation of a global constellation for monitoring atmospheric CO2 and CH4 concentrations and their natural and anthropogenic fluxes from space to support climate policy;
- Preparation of users for the next generation of meteorological satellites in GEO and LEO orbits;
- The implementation of advanced concepts for satellite data dissemination, posing new demands for CGMS global coordination;
- Protection of frequencies, in particular passive sensing frequencies affected by terrestrial transmissions;
- Facilitate the transition to new LEO direct broadcast systems (JPSS, FY-3, Meteor-M, Metop-SG);
- Advance the implementation of the CGMS Agency Best Practices in support to Local and Regional Processing of LEO Direct Broadcast data;
- Coordinate CGMS activities and align priorities with the space weather user community, in particular the ICAO Space Weather Centres, ISES, WMO IPT-SWeISS and the UNCOPUOS Space Weather Expert Group;
- Improve the near-real-time access to and global exchange of space weather data from instruments hosted on meteorological satellites;
- Develop capacity to assess and communicate socio-economic benefits of CGMS satellite missions.
