History
The Coordination of Geostationary Meteorological Satellites came into being on 19 September 1972, when representatives of the European Space Research Organisation (since 1975 called the European Space Agency [ESA]), Japan, the United States of America, Observers from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the Joint Planning Staff for the Global Atmosphere Research Programme met in Washington to discuss questions of compatibility among geostationary meteorological satellites.
Since then, CGMS has expanded both in terms of its membership and objectives, gradually expanding to include polar and highly elliptic orbit observations for weather, oceans and climate. CGMS aims to provide an end-to-end system, from providers to the global users community; hence, the change of name: the Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites.
Achievements
In accordance with its objectives, CGMS has been able to continuously achieve concrete results. This has enabled a better coordinated and more coherent approach for the operation of meteorological satellites. The achievements result from careful discussions at technical, scientific and executive levels during CGMS meetings coupled with perseverance by the CGMS members. Without being exhaustive, the below list describes some of the major achievements of CGMS:
- Establishment of a global back-up framework for contingency planning , with the concept of “helping thy neighbour”, e.g., manoeuvring an available satellite to a different location to support satellite observations. In the 1980s, NOAA’s GOES-4 satellite successfully supported the Meteosat Data Collection Service (DCS) that had run into difficulties. Later in the early 1990s, Meteosat-3 was moved to a position over the Western Atlantic to support NOAA to perform an operational imaging mission vital for hurricane observations. This established partnership continued in 2003 when NOAA supported JMA with GOES-9 to perform operational imaging after retiring GMS-5 and before the availability of MTSAT-1;
- The close cooperation of CGMS led to an optimisation and coordinated response to the WMO vision for the Global Observing System for 2025 – now integrated by the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS);
- Standardisation of data dissemination formats and coordinated planning for the transition from analogue to digital;
- Development of common standards for the International Data Collection System (IDCS);
- Development of an integrated strategy for data dissemination and data exchange based on GTS/WIS, Internet, DVB-based satellite broadcast as well as terrestrial multicasting;
- Coordinated activities toward protection of radio frequencies, both for telecommunication as well as for passive and active sensing;
- Development of a coordinated approach to calibration and intercalibration, through the Global Space-based Inter-calibration System (GSICS);
- Promotion and development of a coordinated framework for generating climate data records from space observations;
- Overarching framework for science development and the improvement and utilisation of satellite products through International Science Working Groups that interact with CGMS;
- Establishing the joint CEOS-CGMS Working Group on Climate, to develop a coordinated contribution to climate monitoring including the systematic generation of Climate Data Records (CDRs) and Greenhouse Gas monitoring;
- Promotion of a common approach to archiving of data and products;
- Promotion of training and the development of the CGMS-WMO Virtual Training Laboratory (VLab).
CGMS 50 YEARS - 1972-2022
In 2022, CGMS celebrated 50 years of collaboration and achievement in advancing the global use of meteorological satellite data. To mark this milestone, a collection of special content was produced, including a Q&A with CGMS heads of agencies, congratulatory video messages, a look back at the history of CGMS, a recording of the 50th anniversary event, and feature stories reflecting on CGMS’s legacy and future.
The story about CGMS
CGMS 50th anniversary greetings
Special event recording
As experts come together in Geneva, Switzerland, to celebrate 50 years of CGMS, Mr. Mikael Rattenborg, EUMETSAT’s former Director of Operations, reflects on some of the most striking stories from across the groups history.
As the Coordination Group for Meteorological Satellites (CGMS) turns 50, Dr WANG Jingsong, Director-General of the China Meteorological Administration’s National Satellite Meteorological Centre reflects on the collaborative decision to place the Fengyun-3E polar orbiting satellite in an early morning orbit.