European weather satellite Metop-B launched into orbit from Baikonur

Metop-B is set to play a vital part in scientists' plans to monitor weather patterns and climate change. It will sweep over the poles, orbiting the Earth once every 100 minutes at a height of 500 miles, the Guardian reports.

Its instruments will make detailed measurements of sea-surface temperatures, wind patterns, trace gases in the atmosphere, humidity and other variables.

Alain Retier, director general of the Eumetsat agency, which built the satellite, said: "Our ability to make accurate weather forecasts is vital to Europe. More than a third of our industry is weather dependent. That is why Metop-B is important, for it is estimated that almost €5bn a year is saved to European industry thanks to the information that is provided by weather satellites ."

After a nervous wait of more than two hours, controllers announced that the craft's solar panels - which will provide the power for Metop-B's five-year mission - had successfully deployed. "This is the first part of a real success for European meteorology", said Ernst Koenemann, director of programmes for Eumetsat.

Read more here http://www.guardian.co.uk/