MTG-I2 set to launch with frequent weather imaging

The countdown points to a very specific moment above French Guiana: at 22:10 CEST on 27 August, Ariane 6 is scheduled to lift MTG-I2 from Europe’s Spaceport. The satellite will complete the first family of Europe’s Meteosat Third Generation constellation, bringing a new pair of eyes to rapidly changing weather over Europe and North Africa.

One eye watches the flashes. MTG-I2’s Lightning Imager will monitor lightning continuously, while its Flexible Combined Imager builds pictures of weather systems as they evolve. From geostationary orbit, 36 000 km above the equator, the imager can scan the full Earth visible from its position in 10 minutes and Europe and North Africa every 2.5 minutes.

That speed is aimed at nowcasting—short-term forecasting as severe weather develops. ESA says the satellites will provide weather services with new data products and capabilities, helping them issue timely warnings. The practical gain is less about a single dramatic image than about seeing a storm change between successive scans.

And so what, concretely? A weather service in Europe or North Africa could receive more frequent views of fast-moving systems and continuous information about lightning, giving forecasters additional data for warnings during severe events. The benefit is designed for public weather forecasting; the source does not give a price, a quantified accuracy improvement or a named user.

The launch also carries a milestone for Ariane 6. It will be the rocket’s ninth launch, its first mission to geostationary transfer orbit and its farthest flight so far, using two P120C-based solid-propellant motors. ESA manages the development programme and Arianespace is the launch service provider, but MTG-I2 remains a planned mission until liftoff and signal acquisition occur.