Who’s involved in MSG
Meteosat Second Generation is a joint project between the European Space Agency and Eumetsat, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites, based in Darmstadt, Germany.
ESA has developed and procured the first satellite, MSG-1, and procuring MSG-2, MSG-3 and MSG-4 on behalf of Eumetsat, which is developing the ground segment. Eumetsat is also procuring the launchers and establishing user needs, and running the system as it becomes operational.
Eumetsat contributed one third of the cost of MSG-1 satellite and paying for MSG-2, MSG-3 and MSG-4 in full. ESA contributed the remaining two thirds of the cost of MSG-1 through an optional programme in which 13 of the Agency’s member states participate.
ESA placed a contract with Alcatel Space Industries, France to build the first three satellites. More than 50 sub-contractors from 13 European countries are involved. In addition the Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) experiment is provided by a consortium led by the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory.
MSG development and procurement at ESA is managed by the MSG project team at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) at Noordwijk in the Netherlands.
