ESA title

The mission

Europe’s series of Meteosat satellites has been improving the accuracy of weather forecasts for over 40 years. The first Meteosat was launched in 1977 and also goes down in history as ESA’s first Earth observation mission. From geostationary orbit, the Meteosat satellites provide a continuous stream of images of the whole Earth disc, to monitor the weather over Europe, Africa and parts of the Atlantic and Indian Ocean. 

The launch

  • First launch: Meteosat-1 on 23 November 1977
  • Site: Cape Canaveral, US
  • Rocket: Delta 2000
Meteosat
MSG enters orbit
Enabling & Support

MSG ground controllers plug into satellite for live test

07/02/2012 1765 views 1 likes
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ESA keeps watch on weather

29/09/2011 961 views 0 likes
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NO2 over Europe monitored by GOME-2
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Astrium to build ESA's Sentinel-4 atmospheric sensors

11/07/2011 2311 views 3 likes
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Satellite observations show potential to improve ash cloud …

26/05/2011 2053 views 0 likes
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Predicted path of volcanic ash
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Satellites monitor Icelandic ash plume

23/05/2011 5808 views 2 likes
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MTG Industrial Days
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MTG Industrial Days offer new business opportunities

01/02/2011 1362 views 0 likes
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Meteosat Third Generation imager and sounder
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Development of Meteosat Third Generation to start

18/11/2010 6960 views 9 likes
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ESA Euronews: Tomorrow’s weather

16/04/2010 739 views 0 likes
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Meteosat Third Generation imager and sounder
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ESA and Thales Alenia Space enter negotiations for MTG

19/03/2010 3039 views 0 likes
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Meteosat Third Generation imager and sounder
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Meteosat Third Generation takes a step forward

22/02/2010 2235 views 0 likes
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Meteosat-6
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Weather satellite sets new service record

04/02/2010 1376 views 0 likes
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Dr Prahm and Dr Liebig at the Council meeting
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Meteosat Third Generation on track

07/12/2007 1236 views 0 likes
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Meteosat-1 first image
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ESA celebrates 30 years of Meteosat

22/11/2007 306 views 0 likes
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ESOC Main Control Room (MCR)
Enabling & Support

ESA to provide essential launch control services to EUMETSAT

06/11/2007 2255 views 0 likes
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Some of the first MSG-2 images
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First images from GERB

01/02/2006 1782 views 0 likes
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MSG-2 first colour image
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MSG-2 first images

26/01/2006 2383 views 5 likes
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MSG artist's view
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MSG-2 commissioning begins

03/01/2006 1880 views 2 likes
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Ariane 5 lift off
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Europe’s newest Meteosat launches on Solstice Night

21/12/2005 1787 views 0 likes
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MSG-2 launch diary

21/12/2005 964 views 0 likes
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Liftoff of Ariane 5G carrying MSG-2
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MSG-2 launched

21/12/2005 823 views 0 likes
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Launcher Ariane 5 ready for liftoff
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MSG-2 in position for tonight's launch

21/12/2005 842 views 0 likes
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A day of GERB observations
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MSG-2 will advance long-term monitoring of Earth's energy b…

20/12/2005 924 views 0 likes
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MSG-2 mission controllers
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ESOC gears up for MSG-2 launch

19/12/2005 689 views 0 likes
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MSG-2 dry weighing
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Meteosat Second Generation-2: watch the launch live

14/12/2005 1206 views 0 likes
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MSG-2 unwrapped
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Forecast good for launch of Europe's latest MSG weather sat…

21/11/2005 978 views 0 likes
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MSG-2 installation on the trolley
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MSG-2 now planned for launch towards year's end

16/08/2005 667 views 0 likes
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MSG-2 controllers in simulation for LEOP. Flight Director John Dodsworth is in blue shirt at right.
Enabling & Support

MSG-2 flight controllers train for launch

29/06/2005 685 views 0 likes
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A year of European solar radiation
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Sunshine mapping from space means brighter solar energy fut…

29/06/2005 2171 views 1 likes
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Meteosat-8 imagery of West African dust storm
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New competition for young meteorologists

09/11/2004 337 views 0 likes
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The contract was signed today in Paris
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MSG-4 contract means sunny outlook for European weather for…

02/11/2004 1025 views 0 likes
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Meteosat-8 imagery of West African dust storm
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Europe's MSG weather satellite serves scientists as well as…

15/09/2004 720 views 0 likes
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José Achache
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ESA’s future weather satellite activities unveiled

25/09/2003 901 views 1 likes
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A virtually cloud-free Europe captured by MSG-1
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A cloud-free Europe captured by MSG-1

26/08/2003 1233 views 0 likes
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First GERB images taken on 12 December 2002
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Innovative instrument on board MSG-1 delivers key informati…

13/12/2002 728 views 0 likes
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MSG-1 first image - 28 November 2002
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MSG-1 first image unveiled

11/12/2002 3319 views 2 likes
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Europe viewed by Meteosat
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MSG: the countdown begins to a new era in European weather…

10/12/2002 657 views 0 likes
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Meteosat Second Generation

29/11/2002 415 views 0 likes
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Meteosat Second Generation (MSG)
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MSG-1 weather satellite ready for commissioning

27/09/2002 863 views 0 likes
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Liftoff of Ariane 5 Flight 155
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Flawless launch of a super Meteosat

29/08/2002 724 views 0 likes
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En route for the launch pad
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MSG-1 Launch Diary

27/08/2002 1144 views 0 likes
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MSG-1: a close-up look at the satellite preparations in the S5 facility
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Follow the launch of MSG-1 from ESA and Arianespace establi…

21/08/2002 907 views 0 likes
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The trouble with the weather

14/08/2002 1127 views 0 likes
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Volcanic eruption, Italy
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MSG: In the eye of the volcano

12/08/2002 1798 views 1 likes
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MSG Artist's view
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MSG - More than just the weather

12/08/2002 1618 views 1 likes
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Website goes live for MSG-1 launch

12/07/2002 389 views 0 likes
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MSG-1 launch diary

10/07/2002 259 views 0 likes
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MSG artist's view
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MSG: Europe's new sentinel in space

09/07/2002 851 views 0 likes
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Meteosat Second Generation (MSG)
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ESA launches weather classroom tools

02/07/2002 1184 views 0 likes
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World Space Week 2002
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Space and daily life...in 45 years

28/06/2002 1050 views 0 likes
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The MSG-1 satellite
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Weather forecasting and climate change : Meteosat seminar f…

21/06/2002 856 views 0 likes
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