Distributing Data

The data from EUMETSAT’s satellites are processed on the ground to extract a wealth of meteorological, environmental and climate products, the number of which are steadily increasing as a result of scientific innovation.

Data and products are then distributed in real-time to users in Europe, Africa and worldwide, primarily via EUMETCast, our satellite-based broadcast service for environmental data. EUMETSAT also makes data available online through our Earth Observation Portal (EOP) and the Data Centre.

Delivering real-time data to users on three continents

EUMETCast is a multi-service distribution system based on standard Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) technology. It uses commercial telecommunication satellites to multicast files (data and products) in real-time, over three continents (Europe, Africa, the Americas) to users equipped with inexpensive VSAT terminals.

 

EUMETCast is used to distribute EUMETSAT data and products but also a wide range of third-party meteorological and environmental products from our Member States and international partners, including in situ observational data, numerical weather forecasts, and global and regional marine meteorological andocean surface products. The one-stop-shop delivery mechanism allows users to receive many data streams via one low cost reception station.

After registering on the EOP, users are able to access the service and manage their data subscriptions through an application to the EUMETCast Key Unit.

EUMETCast currently delivers data streams to more than several thousands of users and VSAT terminals, in a fully operational and secure manner, with high flexibility to handle various formats and scalability to accommodate additional data.

EUMETCAST in global partnership

EUMETCast forms the basis of EUMETSAT's contribution to the Integrated Global Data Dissemination Service (IGDDS), a component of the World Meteorological Organization's Information Service (WIS).

It also underpins EUMETSAT’s contribution to GEONETCast, a global intergovernmental network of satellite-based Earth Observation data dissemination systems, and is connected in this framework to the Chinese CMACast system, thus enabling dissemination of EUMETSAT data in the Asia-Pacific region.

Within GEONETCast, EUMETCast will also be used in the future in the frame of the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters, of which EUMETSAT became a member in 2012. The objective is to support the management of crises arising from natural or technological disasters, in all phases, from prevention to rescue operations. This is achieved through the real-time delivery to Charter beneficiaries of EUMETSAT observations, other meteorological information, and post-disaster maps elaborated by other Charter members.