The Meteosat Third Technology-Imager2 (MTG-I2) satellite tv for pc, has been launched on board an Ariane 6 launcher from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Liftoff was on 27 August 2026 at 22:11 CEST (17:10 native time).
MTG-I2 is a part of the MTG constellation for Eumetsat – two are already in orbit – and it’ll produce photographs for climate forecasting in Europe in unprecedented element. This mission gives fully new knowledge merchandise and capabilities for European climate providers, particularly suited to nowcasting of extreme climate occasions.
The MTG-Imager satellites carry two devices, a Lightning Imager and a Versatile Mixed Imager. The Lightning Imager presents fully new capabilities for European meteorological satellites by repeatedly monitoring for lightning. By doing this from geostationary orbit, at an altitude of about 36 000 km above the equator, it will probably scan greater than 80% of Earth’s floor seen from that viewpoint.
The Versatile Mixed Imager, then again, builds an image of fast-evolving climate programs and can be utilized to concern well timed climate warnings. It’s significantly related for air visitors security. It is ready to scan its view of Earth in simply 10 minutes and might scan Europe and northern Africa each 2.5 minutes.
When MTG is totally operational, it’s anticipated to supply not less than 50 instances extra knowledge than the earlier Meteosat Second Technology (MSG) satellites.
This was the ninth launch of Europe’s heavy-lift rocket Ariane 6. For this launch, Ariane 6 was configured with two P120C-based solid-propellant rocket motors to launch MTG-I2 to a geostationary switch orbit. This was the primary mission to this vacation spot for Ariane 6 and the farthest the rocket has flown to this point. ESA manages the Ariane 6 improvement programme, guaranteeing autonomous entry to area for the good thing about European residents. Arianespace was the launch service supplier for flight VA270.