Overview
- The Ariane 6 rocket successfully lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou and placed the MTG-I2 satellite into transfer orbit on Aug. 27, completing the three-satellite Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) constellation.
- Mission teams reported immediate contact with the spacecraft after separation and began planned orbit-raising steps such as firing MTG-I2’s propulsion and deploying its solar arrays for power.
- MTG-I2 carries the Flexible Combined Imager and a Lightning Imager to deliver high-resolution views of the atmosphere over Europe and northern Africa every 2.5 minutes for faster storm detection.
- This flight was Ariane 6’s ninth mission and its first to geostationary transfer orbit, using two P120C solid boosters to send the roughly 3,800 kg satellite on its way.
- ESA led development with a European industrial consortium led by Thales Alenia Space and partners OHB and Leonardo, and EUMETSAT will operate the satellite once commissioning finishes, which will strengthen forecasting, emergency response, and climate monitoring services.