Cannes: The new satellite from Meteosat, MSG-3, launched by Ariane 5

Last Thursday, the 3rd Second-Generation Meteosat satellite, designed by Thales Alenia space, was launched by Arianespace from French Guiana.

The 3rd second-generation meteorological satellite, MSG-3, designed and developed by Thales Alenia Space in Cannes as part of the European Space Agency (ESA) industrial policy, was launched tonight by Arianespace aboard an Ariane 5, from French Guiana.

After having delivered 7 first-generation Meteosat satellites, Thales Alenia Space, main contactor of European weather satellites for more than thirty years, was selected in the 1990s to deliver 4 second-generation satellites (MSG). The first two models were launched successfully in August 2002 and in December 2005. The third model will be positioned in a geostationary orbit, at 36,000 kilometres, and 0° longitude.

Made by Thales Alenia Space on behalf of Eumetsat, MSG-3 takes the name Meteosat 10 once in operation and allows Eumetsat to assure the continuity of meteorological services to 31 countries, in Europe and in Africa, for approximately 7 years.

The second-generation Meteosat satellites have greatly contributed to improving the exploitation of weather data at a European level since the start of the year 2000, explains Thales Alenia Space. Operating in auto-rotation, they offer the possibility to send very detailed images of Europe, the North Atlantic and Africa, which are used by meteorologists and national meteorological agencies throughout Europe. Technological advances carried out have allowed a significant improvement in the quality of images, connected to a significant increase in the number of observation channels, and to a better radiometric performance combined with cutting the time of revisited cycles in half.

“The meteorological data affects a large number of decisions concerning, namely, the European economy, particularly in the fields of transport and the production of electrical energy", explains Patrick Mauté, Director for Optical Observation and Science at Thales Alenia Space. “The understanding of these data, at a national and international level, allows us to anticipate severe or even dangerous meteorological events and also supply the necessary information for the protection of citizens. In the fields of the World Weather Watch and observation: Space is vital.”

En savoir plus : www.thalesgroup.com/espace/