EUMETSAT, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, inked a key deal in Austria to improve training materials for satellite meteorology. The project, named EUMeTrain, will create additional advanced training materials for all member states and selected partners of EUMETSAT.

EUMeTrain, which kicks off Oct. 1, was conceived by Austria’s Zentralanstalt fur Meteorologie und Geodynamik (ZAMG). However, the first materials won’t be ready until mid 2005, and the EUMeTrain project itself ends Sept. 30, 2009. If the first five-year project is successful, it will pave the way for future European training cooperation.

EUMETSAT is financing 50 percent of the costs for the program, with the rest of the tab being covered by other members of the consortium, including Croatia, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.