Eumetsat
EUMETSAT is a 30-member-state intergovernmental satellite agency, headquartered in Darmstadt, that operates European geostationary (Meteosat/MTG) and polar-orbiting (Metop, Sentinel, Jason) meteorological satellites, delivering weather, climate, ocean, and atmospheric data to national meteorological services, ECMWF, Copernicus, and global WMO partners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1986
- HeadquartersDarmstadt, Germany
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Eumetsat does
EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) is an intergovernmental organisation founded on 19 June 1986 and headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany. It operates a fleet of European meteorological Earth observation satellites on behalf of 30 member and cooperating states (primarily European countries plus Türkiye and the United Kingdom), funded through mandatory and optional GDP-weighted national contributions. Its core technology portfolio includes the geostationary Meteosat series — currently being renewed through the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) constellation with its Flexible Combined Imager, Lightning Imager, and Infrared Sounder instruments producing at least 50x more data than the previous generation — alongside the polar-orbiting Metop series (and forthcoming Metop-SG), the Jason/Sentinel-6 ocean altimetry missions, the EPS Aeolus wind profiling mission, and the approved 20-satellite EPS-Sterna constellation. EUMETSAT also operates the Sentinel-3, -4, -5, and -6 satellites on behalf of the EU Copernicus programme.
The organisation's primary customers are national meteorological services of its member states, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) and Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS), and international partners including NOAA, NASA, and CNES. Data and products are distributed through the EUMETSAT User Portal, EUMETCast/GEONETCast broadcast, EUMETView real-time imagery viewer, and jointly with ECMWF via the European Weather Cloud; EUMETSAT also contributes the data infrastructure layer to the European Commission's Destination Earth (DestinE) digital twin initiative. Specialist processing is performed via a network of Satellite Application Facilities (SAFs), including the OSI SAF which maintains 45+ years of ocean and sea ice data records.
Commercially, EUMETSAT does not sell data to end users in the traditional sense — its "revenue" is comprised of mandatory member state contributions and delegated EU funding (Copernicus, DestinE), supplemented by targeted procurement contracts such as the €3M Spire Global radio occultation contract. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The business model is therefore that of a treaty-funded operational agency with multi-decade programme cycles, scaling through new satellite launches (MTG-I2 in 2026, EPS-Sterna in 2029), expanded Copernicus and DestinE mandates, and bilateral cooperation with space agencies worldwide.
Eumetsat firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Eumetsat
- Legal name
- European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites
- Website
- https://eumetsat.int
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1986
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- EUMETSAT is a 30-member-state intergovernmental satellite agency, headquartered in Darmstadt, that operates European geostationary (Meteosat/MTG) and polar-orbiting (Metop, Sentinel, Jason) meteorological satellites, delivering weather, climate, ocean, and atmospheric data to national meteorological services, ECMWF, Copernicus, and global WMO partners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Eumetsat industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Satellite Earth Observation and Meteorological Data Services
- NAICS
- Satellite Telecommunications (5174), Space Research and Technology (92711)
- SIC
- Guided Missiles & Space Vehicles & Parts (3760)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Satellite Network Operations & Capacity Services (NOC, Capacity Leasing, Managed Payload Services) (HDAIAJAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Satellite Imagery & Remote Sensing Geospatial Platforms (BPAMANAM), Satellite Wholesale Capacity & Backhaul (transponder/HTS capacity, teleport services) (HDAIAEAJ)
Keywords
Where Eumetsat is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Darmstadt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Eumetsat business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Others
Revenue model
- Satellite Data Services to Member States: EUMETSAT provides satellite data, products, and services to national meteorological services of its member states. The organisation is funded by contributions from its 30 member and cooperating states (primarily European countries) based on national GDP-weighted scales.
- Third Party Data Distribution: EUMETSAT processes and distributes satellite weather data from third-party providers including Spire Global (radio occultation data), distributing it to national weather agencies across Europe and the broader WMO community.
- Copernicus Programme Contributions: EUMETSAT operates Sentinel satellites (Sentinel-3, 4, 5, 6) as part of the EU Copernicus Earth observation programme, providing data for marine, atmospheric, and climate monitoring services.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Eumetsat product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EUMETSAT operates a fleet of European meteorological satellites (Meteosat, Metop, Sentinel/Jason series) from its Darmstadt, Germany control centre and distributes satellite-derived weather, climate, and environmental data products to its Member States, cooperating states, and the global WMO community. It also contributes to the EU Copernicus programme and Destination Earth (DestinE) initiative by providing satellite data infrastructure and the European Weather Cloud computing environment.
Product overview
EUMETSAT operates a comprehensive satellite Earth observation system comprising geostationary satellites (Meteosat series including the new Meteosat Third Generation with Flexible Combined Imager and Lightning Imager) and polar-orbiting satellites (Metop series and Metop-Second Generation). The organization contributes to the European Union's Copernicus programme through Sentinel missions (Sentinel-3, -4, -5, -6) for ocean, atmospheric, and land monitoring. Additional missions include the Jason series for ocean altimetry, EPS Aeolus for wind profiling, and the upcoming EPS-Sterna constellation. Data access is provided through the User Portal, EUMETView viewer, European Weather Cloud, and Destination Earth platforms, supported by a network of Satellite Application Facilities (SAFs) that process and distribute specialized environmental products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) satellite system
Quantifiable outcome
- MTG constellation produces at least 50 times more data than previous Meteosat Second Generation satellites
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Eumetsat
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Eumetsat technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability11 records
Feature5 records
Eumetsat partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- OHB SwedencoreOHB Sweden secured €248 million contract to build 20 satellites for the EPS-Sterna programme, aimed at enhancing Europe's weather forecasting and climate monitoring capabilities. EUMETSAT oversees the programme with ESA managing development.
- DLR (German Aerospace Center)minorEUMETSAT Council approved new cooperation agreement with DLR to enhance Earth observation data exchange and scientific collaboration.
- NCEO (National Centre for Earth Observation)minorEUMETSAT renewed cooperation agreement with NCEO to enhance Earth observation data exchange and scientific collaboration in climate monitoring.
- NSOAS (National Satellite Ocean Application Service)minorEUMETSAT renewed cooperation agreement with NSOAS (China) to enhance Earth observation data exchange and scientific collaboration.
- NASAcoreNASA and EUMETSAT partner on the Sentinel-6/Jason-CS mission for sea level monitoring. Sentinel-6B was launched in November 2025 as a joint NASA-ESA-EUMETSAT-NOAA mission. The partnership continues a multi-decade record of ocean altimetry measurements.
- European Space Agency (ESA)coreESA and EUMETSAT collaborate extensively on satellite development and launch. ESA develops satellites on behalf of EUMETSAT, including the Meteosat Third Generation system. The two organisations jointly operate satellite missions and share infrastructure. They also cooperate on the EPS-Sterna programme and various Sentinel missions.
- European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF)coreECMWF uses EUMETSAT satellite data as primary input for numerical weather prediction and climate reanalysis. The organisations jointly operate the European Weather Cloud platform and collaborate on the Destination Earth (DestinE) initiative. ECMWF Director-General Dr. Florence Rabier has overseen integration of satellite data into forecasting systems.
- NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)coreNOAA partners with EUMETSAT on ocean monitoring missions including Sentinel-6 and Jason series satellites. NOAA processes and distributes altimetry data alongside EUMETSAT and CNES for global sea level measurements.
- CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales)coreCNES, France's space agency, partners with EUMETSAT on Jason satellite series and Sentinel-6 missions for ocean altimetry. CNES processes altimetry data alongside EUMETSAT and NOAA.
- United States Naval Research LaboratoryminorEUMETSAT scientists collaborated with the United States Naval Research Laboratory on a case study explaining how satellite instruments detect and monitor wildfires across Europe.
- Spain's State Meteorological Agency (AEMET)minorEUMETSAT collaborated with Spain's State Meteorological Agency on a case study for wildfire detection and monitoring using satellite imagery.
- European Union Copernicus ProgrammecoreEUMETSAT operates Sentinel-3, Sentinel-4, Sentinel-5, and Sentinel-6 missions as part of the EU Copernicus Earth observation programme. These satellites monitor ocean, atmosphere, and climate for European services including CMEMS and C3S.
- European Commission - Destination EarthcoreEUMETSAT continues as key contributor to the European Commission's Destination Earth initiative, developing and operating the DestinE Data Lake in Phase Three. The Data Lake provides infrastructure supporting environmental data access and digital twin technology.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Eumetsat competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Maxar Technologies: Commercial operator of high-resolution Earth-observation satellites (WorldView, Legion) supplying imagery and analytics to governments and commercial customers. Comparable as a commercial EO satellite operator, though focused on high-resolution optical imagery rather than meteorological observations.
- Spire Global: Commercial operator of a nanosatellite constellation providing radio occultation and GNSS-R data. Already an actual supplier to EUMETSAT (€3M contract for radio occultation data), making it a commercial peer supplying input data into EUMETSAT's distribution network.
- Planet Labs PBC: Commercial operator of the world's largest Earth-observation satellite constellation, providing daily high-resolution imagery. Not a direct meteorological peer, but a growing competitor/complement in the broader Earth-observation data market that increasingly overlaps with EUMETSAT's downstream applications.
Direct peers
- China Meteorological Administration (CMA): China's national meteorological and satellite agency operating the Fengyun (FY) geostationary and polar-orbiting satellite series. Direct global peer in delivering meteorological and climate satellite data through the WMO framework.
- Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO): India's national space agency operating the INSAT geostationary and polar-orbiting meteorological satellites. Directly comparable in role and mandate to EUMETSAT for civil Earth-observation and weather data services.
- Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA): Japan's national meteorological agency operating the Himawari geostationary satellite series. Comparable to EUMETSAT in operating a sovereign weather satellite system that feeds national forecasting and the WMO global data exchange.
- NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration): U.S. operational meteorological and Earth-observation satellite agency operating the GOES geostationary and JPSS polar-orbiting constellations. Most direct global counterpart to EUMETSAT; both are civil government satellite operators distributing weather, climate, and ocean data to national services and the WMO community.
Broad incumbents
- European Space Agency (ESA): ESA develops satellites on EUMETSAT's behalf (MTG, Metop, EPS-Sterna) and is EUMETSAT's primary institutional partner. Not a direct competitor — ESA is the development counterpart to EUMETSAT's operator role, making it an incumbent collaborator rather than a peer offering the same service.
- European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF): ECMWF is EUMETSAT's primary downstream consumer — it ingests EUMETSAT satellite data as the principal input for ERA5 reanalysis and numerical weather prediction, and co-operates the European Weather Cloud. ECMWF is a peer in the broader European weather-data value chain, though it is a forecast model provider, not a satellite operator.
Regional players
- Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA): South Korea's national meteorological agency operating the GEO-KOMPSAT-2 (GK2) geostationary satellite. Comparable in function (national meteorological satellite operator) but operating in a different regional sphere from EUMETSAT's Europe/Africa/Indian Ocean focus.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Eumetsat social profiles
Digital presenceEumetsat compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Eumetsat financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Eumetsat leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Eumetsat subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Eumetsat funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Eumetsat M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Eumetsat
What does Eumetsat do?
EUMETSAT operates a fleet of European meteorological satellites (Meteosat, Metop, Sentinel/Jason series) from its Darmstadt, Germany control centre and distributes satellite-derived weather, climate, and environmental data products to its Member States, cooperating states, and the global WMO community. It also contributes to the EU Copernicus programme and Destination Earth (DestinE) initiative by providing satellite data infrastructure and the European Weather Cloud computing environment.
Is Eumetsat a public or private company?
Eumetsat is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Eumetsat founded?
Eumetsat was founded in 1986. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Eumetsat based?
Eumetsat is headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Eumetsat make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Satellite Data Services to Member States are the primary driver. The others are third Party Data Distribution and copernicus Programme Contributions.
Who are Eumetsat's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Maxar Technologies, Spire Global and Planet Labs PBC. Direct peers are China Meteorological Administration (CMA), Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Broad incumbents are European Space Agency (ESA) and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) is listed as a regional player.
Does Eumetsat have an API?
Yes. EUMETSAT provides data access through its User Portal (user.eumetsat.int) which includes a search-view interface for discovering and accessing satellite data. The portal provides programmatic-style access to satellite imagery and data products from EUMETSAT's satellite missions including Meteosat, Metop, Sentinel, and Jason series. Developer documentation is at user.eumetsat.int.
What industry is Eumetsat in?
Eumetsat's product category is Satellite Earth Observation and Meteorological Data Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAIAJAI, Satellite Network Operations & Capacity Services (NOC, Capacity Leasing, Managed Payload Services), with a secondary code of BPAMANAM, Satellite Imagery & Remote Sensing Geospatial Platforms. Its NAICS code is 5174 and its SIC code is 3760.