New U.S.-European altimetry and cloud radiation satellites, and further cooperation on geostationary-Earth-orbit and polar-orbiting satellite systems, promise to greatly enhance meteorologists' ability to predict long-term weather and climate changes. On June 30, Eumetsat received a funding go-ahead for Jason-2, a second-generation successor to the France-U.S. Topex-Poseidon mission that is expected to pave the way to operational oceanography. The European weather organization obtained commitments for 90% of the 30 million euros ($35 million), from 13 member states, for its share of the program―sufficient to commit to a development launch expected toward the end of this year. Three other nations are expected to join later.
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