Weather Satellite Data: Why Weather Appears in Defence's Space Capabilities

Weather appears in Defence’s space capabilities because so much weather information now comes from space, much of it as weather satellite data. Defence lists “environmental monitoring” among the space mission sets its workforce will support, and describes much of the force as “reliant on space-based meteorology”. [1] The Bureau of Meteorology says satellites provide more than 90% of the data used in weather forecast models. [2]

That makes weather less surprising in a list that also includes satellite communications and missile warning. Forecasts shape decisions on land, at sea and in the air, and the data behind them travels through orbit. This guide explains what Defence has said publicly, how weather satellites support forecasting, why “space weather” is a different subject and how to read these terms without overstating them.

Where weather appears in Defence’s space domain

Defence’s space domain overview lists eight mission sets: satellite communications; position, navigation and timing; space domain awareness; missile warning; satellite operations; space control; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and environmental monitoring. [1] Environmental monitoring is the item most closely linked to weather.

The same page connects weather to space twice. It says Australians “routinely rely on the space domain for everyday activities, such as checking the weather”, and that much of the force is “reliant on space-based meteorology, communications, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance” and other services. [1] The page names environmental monitoring as a mission set but does not describe specific Defence weather satellites or systems, so this article does not either.

Space is one of the military domains Defence describes. Our article on the ADF’s multiple domains explains how the domains relate to each other, and the difference between military services, commands and domains explains how those terms fit together.

How weather satellites support forecasting

The Bureau of Meteorology’s satellite page gives a clear public explanation. It states that “Satellites provide more than 90% of the data used in weather forecast models” and that their imagery “provides vital situational awareness that enhances forecast accuracy and timeliness”. [2]

Geostationary and polar orbiting weather satellites

The Bureau describes two main types of weather satellite: [2]

• Geostationary satellites, which “circle the Earth over the equator at a height of about 35,800 km” and so “can take constant and frequent images of a given region”.
• Polar orbiting satellites, which “usually observe the same spot on Earth about twice per day” and, being closer to Earth, “can provide more detailed images (higher spatial resolution)”.

The Himawari satellites and Australia

For Australia, the Bureau says “Japan’s Himawari satellites are perfectly positioned to provide constant observations for Australia”. Its page notes the imagery helps forecasters identify “thunderstorms as they develop, and track them”, and supports detection of “volcanic ash, fire and smoke” and “fog and low cloud for use by airlines”. [2]

Weather satellite data is a shared, international effort

The Bureau’s satellite page also shows how much forecasting depends on cooperation. The page notes that “Himawari-9 is the Japan Meteorological Agency’s current operational satellite”, and the Bureau states that “Some of the polar orbiting satellites that we use are from United States of America and European programmes”. [2]

This is the Bureau’s description of its own data use, not a statement about Defence systems. It is still useful context: weather information from space is commonly gathered, processed and shared across agencies and nations, and many users depend on the same core observations.

Why weather forecasts matter to military activity

Defence has published practical examples of weather supporting operations. A Defence news article from 5 October 2021 described “the Bureau of Meteorology’s (BOM) Townsville Defence Weather Service Office (DWSO)” and its role to “provide decision-support services to the Army’s 5th Aviation Regiment”. [3]

According to the article, the office’s “advice supported decisions about operational windows for flying, and whether to ground and/or shelter aircraft”. [3] That example is from 2021 and describes one office and one regiment. It shows the principle clearly: good forecasts help people decide when and how to act safely.

Space weather is a different kind of weather

“Space weather” sounds similar but describes something else. The Australian Space Agency explains that patterns of solar activity “are known as space weather”, with the resulting events “impacting satellites, telecommunications, power grids and other critical technologies”. [4]

The Bureau’s space weather service in Australia

The Bureau of Meteorology also runs a space weather service. Its capability statement says the team “supports national security, defence, emergency services and industry”, and lists effects on “radio communications”, “satellite operations” and “Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation”. [5] A joint media release dated 6 October 2022 announced that the Bureau’s Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre “will deliver 24/7 space weather capabilities including forecasts, warnings and alerts”. [6]

So a Defence reference to weather and space could mean two things: watching Earth’s weather from space, or understanding conditions in space that affect satellites and signals. Check which one a source means.

Not every “weather” in a space story means the same thing

A third use of the word appears in equipment descriptions. When the Minister for Defence announced the Deep-space Advanced Radar Capability on 2 December 2023, the release described the network as providing “24-hour continuous global and all weather coverage”. [7] Here “all weather” describes the coverage the radar network is meant to provide. It does not make the radar a weather monitoring system.

A few checks help when reading Defence space stories:

• Is the source about Earth’s weather, space weather or equipment that works in any weather?
• Is it describing a mission set, a named capability or a single activity?
• What date is on the source, and is a milestone achieved or still expected?

Weather, planning and the people who rely on it

Weather information from space supports everyday forecasts as well as Defence planning, and the public sources make that link without needing any classified detail. Anyone who works or trains outdoors knows forecasts only help if you can act on them, and that often means writing things down in the field.

If you keep notes outdoors, the Rite in the Rain range includes all-weather notebooks, covers and pens. The Rite in the Rain All Weather Metal Clicker Pen uses a pressurised ink cartridge that the listing describes as able to write upside down and through moisture. These are practical field stationery items rather than anything connected to Defence’s space capabilities. For more on the Air Force, browse our Air Force collection.

Sources

1. Department of Defence | Space domain | no date shown
2. Bureau of Meteorology | Satellites | published 29 September 2021, modified 22 April 2026
3. Department of Defence | Weather forecasting a vital role | 5 October 2021
4. Australian Space Agency | Space weather | no date shown
5. Bureau of Meteorology | BOM Space Weather capability (PDF) | no date shown
6. Minister for the Environment and Water, and Deputy Premier of South Australia | Joint media release: Australia’s first Space Weather Forecasting Centre lifts off | 6 October 2022
7. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence | New Defence space capability boosts regional security | 2 December 2023