Website goes live for MSG-1 launch
A new series of sophisticated weather satellites, Meteosat Second Generation (MSG), will bring big changes in the way we observe the weather. MSG will pinpoint extreme weather events so forecasters can predict, for example, hurricanes and severe storms with far greater certainty. You can follow the preparations for the scheduled 27 August launch of the first MSG satellite on the new ESA website at http://www.esa.int/meteosat2G.
Since the Meteosat satellite system was developed in the early 1970s, it has achieved much more than ever imagined. For 25 years, Meteosat satellites have provided images of the Earth every half-hour, day and night, in three spectral channels - around 1.5 million in all.
The new MSG satellites will provide more comprehensive and frequent data to meteorologists and climate monitoring scientists. The satellites are being developed through the combined expertise of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat).
The new website covers all aspects of the MSG mission: its history, objectives and progress, including related links, images and videos of the MSG system. A Launch Diary allows site visitors to follow the progress of the arrival of MSG-1 at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana through the myriad of tests needed to ensure the satellite is ready for launch, now scheduled for 27 August, onboard Ariane-5.
A special 'Teaching Weather' section provides details of a range of new ESA educational activities and include the first set of classroom tools for secondary school teachers on weather essentials.
Further reading: MSG Website
