MTG-I1 rolled out and good to go
With liftoff set for today at 21:30 CET, the Ariane 5 rocket carrying the first Meteosat Third Generation Imager, MTG-I1, satellite is poised patiently on the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana while the final checks are being carried out. Once in geostationary orbit, 36,000 km above the equator, this new satellite is set to herald a new era for meteorology.
MTG-I1 has been at the launch site since mid-October being carefully readied for liftoff. Over the weekend, the all-important technical ‘launch readiness review’ gave the green light for liftoff and the Ariane 5 rocket subsequently rolled out to the launch pad.
ESA’s Meteosat Programme Manager, Paul Blythe, said, “I’d just like to congratulate everyone who has worked so hard to get us to this point. The mission has passed the launch readiness review with flying colours, which means that we are good to launch.
“It was a wonderful sight to see the huge Ariane 5 roll out to the launch pad knowing that our precious satellite is safely tucked inside the rocket fairing.
“And of course, we are all very excited for liftoff this evening when we will see the rocket take to the skies so that our satellite can soon begin delivering critical meteorological data for weather forecasting and numerical weather prediction.”
The rocket also carries two co-passenger satellites, Intelsat Galaxy 35 and 36, which will be injected into orbit prior to MTG-I1.
To accommodate the three satellites, the Ariane 5 rocket is taller than usual as it has been equipped with a 1.5-m-high raising cylinder below its fairing and the SYLDA adapter. The SYLDA fits over MTG-I1, allowing the co-passenger satellites to be stacked above.
Boasting two completely new instruments – a Flexible Combined Imager and Europe’s first Lightning Imager – MTG-I1 will deliver high-quality data for better weather forecasting.
The Flexible Combined Imager has more spectral channels and is capable of imaging in higher resolution compared to current Meteosat Second Generation’s Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared instrument.
The Lightning Imager offers a completely new capability for European meteorological satellites. It will continuously monitor more than 80% of the Earth disc for lightning discharges, taking place either between clouds or between clouds and the ground.
MTG-I1 is the first of six satellites that form the full MTG system, which will provide critical data for weather forecasting over the next 20 years. In full operations, the mission will comprise two MTG-I satellites and one MTG Sounding (MTG-S) satellites working in tandem.
The MTG mission is a cooperation between Eumetsat and ESA. ESA is responsible developing and procuring the six MTG satellites. Eumetsat defines the system requirements, develops the ground systems, procures the launch services, operates the satellites, and makes the data available to users. Thales Alenia Space is the prime contractor for overall MTG programme and the MTG-I satellites.
The window for liftoff opens at 21:30 CET. Watch the launch live on ESA Web TV, streaming starts at 19:40 CET.
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