MTG-I2 launch set for 22:10 CEST on Ariane 6
ESA’s Meteosat Third Generation Imager satellite MTG-I2 is scheduled to lift off from French Guiana on flight VA270 at 22:10 CEST (17:10 local time) on Thursday, 27 August. The 2.5-hour launch window will be broadcast live on ESA WebTV and YouTube.
The Meteosat Third Generation Imager satellite MTG-I2 will launch on flight VA270 on Ariane 6 from French Guiana at 22:10 CEST (17:10 local time). The launch window remains open for 2.5 hours, and live coverage will begin at 21:42 CEST on ESA WebTV and YouTube.
Mission Overview
MTG-I2 is the third satellite in the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) constellation and will complete the first family of MTG satellites. Together, the satellites will deliver images for weather forecasting across Europe and northern Africa in unprecedented detail. The mission provides new data products and capabilities for European weather services, with a particular focus on nowcasting severe weather events.
Satellite Capabilities
The MTG-Imager satellites carry two instruments: a Lightning Imager and a Flexible Combined Imager. The Lightning Imager offers continuous monitoring for lightning, a capability that is new to European meteorological satellites. The Flexible Combined Imager builds a picture of fast-evolving weather systems and can issue timely weather warnings. It can scan the entire surface of Earth as seen from its geostationary position at 36,000 km above the equator in just 10 minutes, and it can scan Europe and North Africa every 2.5 minutes.
| Scan Coverage | Time per Scan |
|---|---|
| Full Earth | 10 minutes |
| Europe & North Africa | 2.5 minutes |
Launch Vehicle and Service
The launch will be carried out by Ariane 6, the ninth flight of Europe’s heavy-lift rocket. Ariane 6 will lift off with two P120C-based solid-propellant rocket motors, placing MTG-I2 into a geostationary transfer orbit. This will be the first mission to that destination for Ariane 6 and the farthest the rocket has flown so far. ESA manages the Ariane 6 development programme, ensuring autonomous access to space for the benefit of European citizens. Arianespace is the launch service provider for flight VA270.
Live Coverage
ESA will broadcast the launch on Thursday, 27 August. Live coverage will begin at 21:42 CEST on ESA WebTV and on ESA’s YouTube channel. The launch window for flight VA270 will remain open for 2.5 hours, with the first launch attempt scheduled for 22:10 CEST (17:10 local time). The event will be streamed in real time, allowing viewers to follow the liftoff and the early stages of the mission.
