MTG-I2 Satellite Completes Europe's Weather Monitoring Trio
The Meteosat Third Generation Imager-2 (MTG-I2) satellite was successfully launched on August 27, 2026, aboard an Ariane 6 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. This launch marks the ninth flight of the Ariane 6 and its first mission to geostationary transfer orbit.
MTG-I2 joins the MTG-I1 and MTG-S1 satellites, completing Europe's first MTG satellite family. It enhances weather forecasting capabilities with high-resolution imaging and lightning detection over Europe and northern Africa. The satellite carries a Flexible Combined Imager and a Lightning Imager, providing data every 2.5 minutes.
Following its separation from the launcher, MTG-I2 established communication with the Malindi ground station. The satellite will undergo orbit-raising maneuvers to reach its geostationary orbit, transitioning into its commissioning phase.