Eumetsat Member States Pledge $88 Million to Jason-3 Program

[Satellite TODAY 02-03-10] Multiple member states of the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat) have agreed to subscribe to the Jason-3 ocean altimetry satellite program, Eumetsat announced Feb. 2.
    Eumetsat and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are partners in managing the Jason-3 project. Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom are among the 19 countries that will collectively contribute 63.6 million euros ($88.5 million), to the 252 million euro ($350.1 million) program cost of Jason-3.
    NOAA already secured $138.92 million in funding for the Jason-3 program in 2009 and has given it top priority for securing climate-related measurements. “The fact that nearly 80 percent of Eumetsat members, including all its largest member states, are participating shows the importance they attach to continuing the mission begun so successfully by Jason-2 and that the solidarity among Eumetsat Member States continues to prevail,” Eumetsat Director General Lars Prahm said in a statement.