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3MI's very first image, captured between 10:59 and 11:03 CEST on 28 August 2025, confirmed the instrument is already performing well as it delivers its preliminary data streams. The left panel shows a standard view using natural light, highlighting clouds and land surfaces. The right panel, based on polarised light measurements, reveals much finer detail of the atmosphere's composition - such as subtle cloud structures over Italy and wildfire smoke on the right edge of the image, over Greece. When sunlight interacts with particles in the air, like droplets, smoke or dust, the scattered light vibrates in specific directions, a property called polarisation. By capturing this perspective, 3MI provides richer insight into the type and size of particles in the atmosphere. Credit: EUMETSAT

Air pollution remains the leading environmental health risk in Europe, with exposure to fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide and ground-level ozone linked to more than 350,000 premature deaths across European Union countries in 2022. A powerful new European satellite instrument has now returned its first images from space, offering a new window into the atmosphere and the particles that influence our health, weather and climate.

On the opening day of the 30th edition of the EUMETSAT Meteorological Satellite Conference, experts revealed the first images from the Multi-Viewing, Multi-Channel, Multi-Polarisation Imager (3MI), which is designed to observe multiple signatures of the Earth's atmosphere at once. When operational, the data streams from 3MI will support more accurate forecasts, better air quality and climate monitoring, and improved public health protection across Europe and beyond.

3MI, which sits on board the recently launched Metop Second Generation A1 (Metop-SGA1) satellite, began capturing images on 28 August 2025, just over two weeks after the launch of the satellite. The first images reveal fine atmospheric features with remarkable precision, including smoke from devastating wildfires in Southern Europe, and stunning rainbow cloud structures over Peru and Chile.

3MI is the result of more than 15 years of collaborative work by EUMETSAT, the European Space Agency, Leonardo, Airbus Defence and Space, and an international network of partners. It is Europe's first operational polarimeter in space and one of only a few worldwide, building on the legacy of the Polarisation and Directionality of the Earth's Reflectances (POLDER) instrument - a mission led by the French space agency (CNES), which demonstrated how polarised light could provide valuable insights into atmospheric particles such as smoke, dust and salt, as well as clouds structures.

3MI now brings this capability into Europe's operational weather satellite infrastructure and will provide continuous data for years to come, with the first images following successful recent high-quality data releases from other Metop-SGA1 instruments, the Microwave Sounder and the Radio Occultation Sounder.

Phil Evans, Director-General of EUMETSAT, said: "2024 was the hottest year ever recorded, in Europe and globally, and European countries are increasingly seeing weather extremes marked by devastating heat, drought, floods, fires and violent storms. From high above Earth, meteorological satellites can reveal the scale and fine detail of some of the world's most critical weather and climate stories. That perspective is reflected in this year's conference theme, from space to safety. The discussions in Lyon will explore how satellite data can be used to improve forecasts, strengthen responses to climate change and enable national and regional bodies to deliver services that protect lives, property and economies. By bringing together such a diverse community, it can forge better connections and knowledge that turn data into action for people across Europe and around the world."

Virginie Schwarz, Chief Executive Officer of Météo-France, said: "Governments, businesses and citizens need reliable weather and climate services more than ever. For the weather and climate services provided by Météo-France, meteorological satellite data are indispensable, providing more than 90% of the information that goes into our global numerical weather prediction model. They support our forecasts and climate monitoring and give decision makers the knowledge they need to take faster, more effective action as climate change drives more extreme weather events. What makes this conference so important is the chance to share ideas, learn from each other and strengthen partnerships. Delegates will leave not only with fresh insights, but with connections that will last well beyond the week we spend together in Lyon."

For more information, see the EUMETSAT website.

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