MTG-I2 satellite on journey to boost Europe’s weather monitoring capabilities

The Meteosat Third Generation-Imager2 (MTG-I2) satellite has embarked on its voyage from France to French Guiana, having departed from Nice Harbour yesterday. The satellite, along with essential support equipment for ground operations, will navigate through the Mediterranean Sea before crossing the Atlantic Ocean, with plans to arrive at Europe’s Spaceport by June. Until recently, MTG-I2 was housed in cleanrooms at Thales Alenia Space in Cannes, France, where Thales Alenia Space serves as the lead contractor for the MTG mission.

Developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) in partnership with Eumetsat, MTG-I2 is set to launch this summer aboard an Ariane 6 rocket, joining two existing MTG satellites already in orbit. This mission aims to enhance weather monitoring with unprecedented imaging capabilities, particularly focused on improving nowcasting for severe weather conditions. The MTG-Imager satellites are equipped with two advanced instruments: the Lightning Imager and the Flexible Combined Imager.

The Lightning Imager introduces groundbreaking monitoring abilities for meteorological satellites by continuously detecting lightning strikes. Positioned in geostationary orbit, approximately 36,000 kilometers above the equator, it can monitor over 80% of the Earth’s surface visible from that altitude.

Conversely, the Flexible Combined Imager generates detailed images of rapidly changing weather systems, which are crucial for timely weather alerts, notably for air traffic safety. This instrument can capture the complete Earth disc in just 10 minutes and provide updates on Europe and northern Africa every 2.5 minutes.

Once operational, MTG is anticipated to generate at least 50 times more data than its predecessor, the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellites, significantly enhancing Europe’s weather forecasting capabilities.