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Europe’s newest Meteosat launches on Solstice Night

21 December 2005

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MSG-2 (2nd flight model of Meteosat Second Generation) was one of the two payloads of Ariane 5’s latest launch. The European launch vehicle lifted off from the Guiana Space Centre, Europe’s spaceport, in Kourou, French Guiana, at 19:33 local time on 21 December (23:33 CET).

Credits: ESA/CNES/ARIANESPACE-Service Optique CSG

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MSG-2 and its payload adapter (ACU) moved onto the CCU-2 (payload transport container).

Credits: ESA/MSG Team

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Based on GERB data, this sped-up animation shows the total sunlight and heat reflected, scattered or emitted back from the Earth during the diurnal cycle of 8 May 2003. The animation was produced by the RMIB. For more information and a more detailed version see http://gerb.oma.be/gerb/Animations/anim.html.

Credits: RMIB

Witnessing global climate change

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The core instrument on board MSG is called SEVIRI

The core instrument on board Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) is called SEVIRI (Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager). This imaging radiometer permanently scans the atmosphere and the Earth's surface within the visible and the infrared spectrum of light. Using a patented three-mirror telescope with a scan assembly and a cooler unit, it generates a high-resolution image in just 15 minutes. The incoming radiation is sensed by the detector in 12 channels, depending on the wavelength, each channel representing a different type of information. SEVIRI was developed by the European Space Agency and built by Astrium Space.

Credits: Astrium 2002

Meteosat Second Generation

Special features

MSG-2 ready for launch