03/10/2021 1 Minute Read The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a contract worth €32 million with OHB Sweden to build a prototype satellite for the Arctic Weather Satellite mission. The development comes in the wake of the heightened need for frequent satellite data for faster weather forecasting updates in the Arctic. This prototype is an indication to a potential constellation of satellites that would supply an almost constant stream of temperature and humidity data from every location on Earth. This would, for the first time, allow very short-range weather forecasting, also termed “nowcasting”, in the Arctic. Meteorologists will also use the mission to improve weather forecasts around the world.