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| | | | | | | | | MSG-1 launch | |
Reaching orbit
Like MSG-1 before it, MSG-2 was launched from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on an Ariane 5 Generic.
In late December 2005 this heavy-lift launcher placed the two-tonne satellite in an initial 'parking' or geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). This is a highly elliptical (or elongated) orbit intermediate between geostationary and low-Earth orbit (LEO), with an apogee of approximately 35 944 km and a perigee of just 580 km.
From this orbit MSG-2 used its onboard engine to gradually circularise its orbit over a period of weeks until it reached its final geostationary orbit (GSO). This operation was overseen by ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, under EUMETSAT contract.
Last update: 3 May 2006 | |
| | ESA Launchers Europe's SpaceportIn depth Space Operations & Situational AwarenessRelated links ArianespaceEUMETSAT
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