MTG‑I2 begins final launch campaign: Second Meteosat ahead of integration into Ariane 6

The second Meteosat Third Generation Imager (MTG‑I2) has begun its final launch campaign. In the coming days, final inspections and functional tests will take place before the roughly 3.8‑ton satellite is integrated into the Ariane 6 launcher's payload fairing. The launch is scheduled for the end of summer.

MTG‑I2 is a geostationary weather satellite intended to provide continuous observation of Europe and North Africa. From its fixed position over the equator it supplies ongoing images and measurements rather than individual snapshots. The new generation improves image frequency and resolution and expands the range of spectral channels captured.

The data will allow more accurate discrimination of cloud types, ice crystals, water vapor and aerosols, as well as more precise detection of smoke. This benefits nowcasting for very short‑term forecasts and the initialization of numerical weather models. Rapid successive images reveal fast atmospheric developments and sharpen warnings for heavy rain, hail, thunderstorms and local flash floods.

In addition, MTG‑I2 supports monitoring of other phenomena such as heat events, sand and dust transport from North Africa, volcanic ash clouds and widespread smoke. More and better satellite data therefore improve the situational picture available to meteorological services and facilitate planning of protection and response measures.

MTG is a joint project of European space and meteorological organisations. The European Space Agency (ESA) is responsible for the technical development phases, while EUMETSAT handles operational services and the provision of data to national and international users. Integration into the Ariane 6 payload fairing is regarded as a technical milestone: after intensive testing the satellite will be secured against vibrations and environmental influences for transport and launch.

Against the backdrop of increasingly frequent extreme weather events in Europe, demands on observation and forecasting are rising. MTG‑I2 expands the infrastructure for faster and more accurate warning chains. Further satellites in the series will follow to extend monitoring capacity and provide redundancy. At the same time, weather centres are adapting their systems so the new data can be integrated seamlessly into models and warning processes.

With the upcoming installation into the Ariane 6 fairing, MTG‑I2 faces the last major step on its way to launch.