"Since then, consumers were regularly getting space information on clouds, the state of the ocean, snow and ice covers, perilous hydrometerological phenomena", the official spokesman for the Rosgidromet (the national weather service) said on Friday.
Today Russia's meteorological satellite group is badly in need of new craft and is forced to make 99 percent use of meteorological information from foreign satellites. "Now we have in orbit only one meteorological satellite Meteor 3-M Number One, working in other directions, not transmitting any meteorological data", Rosgidromet chief Alexander Bedritski said.
Russian weathermen have obligations before foreign colleagues in putting into orbit at least two satellites. "The second Meteor 3-M is planned to be launched in 2005 and the Elektra spacecraft in 2006", he noted.
Before the 90s Russia built and orbited 32 Meteor satellites on order from the Hydrometeorological Service. They were one of the key elements of the service's observation system and, in their time, greatly improved the quality of weather forecasts and arranged environmental monitoring on vast areas of the former USSR.
Beginning from 90s, financial problems suspended the development of the Russian meteorological satellite system.
On the initiative of the Hydrometeorological Service and the former Rosaviakosmos, in 2003 the government two times considered rehabilitation of the national meteorological satellite group. As a result, decisions have been taken to prepare and launch in 2005-2006 one Polar orbital and one geostationary satellite.
It is also planned before 2010 to orbit a national group of three Polar orbital and one geostationary craft.
