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27/03/2026
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The third satellite in the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) constellation, MTG-Imager2 (MTG-I2) has completed a series of tests that certify the satellite is ready to operate in the harsh conditions found in space – and on the way to space. These range from the strong vibrations during launch to the huge variations in temperature once in orbit, caused by moving between direct sunlight and Earth’s shadow.
These environmental tests for MTG-I2 were carried out at Thales Alenia Space’s clean rooms in Cannes, France, and were followed by a stringent set of health checks to confirm that the satellite integrity was maintained. The final confirmation of integrity was demonstrated within the Compact Antenna Test Range that tested the operational radio frequencies that the satellite will use in orbit.
Antennas are a vital part of the satellite, as they transmit data observed by the science instruments on board back to ground stations on Earth and also receive signals from the ground stations (or beacons, depending on the signal type).
MTG-I2 pushed into place for final environmental tests
According to the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) Project Manager for MTG, James Champion, these particular tests in the Compact Antenna Test Range demonstrated that the instruments on-board and the science data they generate will not be affected by the radio frequencies of the communication signals when the satellite is operating in the space environment, and vice-versa.
James said, “Now that these radio-frequency compatibility tests have been successfully completed, the MTG-I2 satellite will undergo the very last check, the Global Leak Test, that will confirm the integrity and leak tightness of the propulsion subsystem. Following this, the satellite and all the necessary ground support equipment will be packed up ready for shipment to the launch site.”
About MTG’s second Imager satellite
MTG-I2 inside the Compact Antenna Test Range
MTG carries innovative instruments with increased resolution and sensitivity, providing enhanced services compared to its predecessor, the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite system.
The third satellite in the MTG constellation will produce images for weather forecasting in Europe in unprecedented detail. This mission provides completely new data products and capabilities for European weather services, especially suited to nowcasting of severe weather events. It carries two advanced sensors: the Flexible Combined Imager, or FCI, and the Lightning Imager.
MTG-I2 undergoes a series of tests at cleanroom in Cannes
When MTG-I2 launches this summer, it will join the two MTG satellites already in orbit:
The first MTG-Imager, MTG-I1, was launched in December 2022.
And the second satellite in the series, the MTG-Sounder (MTG-S1) was launched in July 2025 and is still in its commissioning phase.
The MTG satellites are developed by ESA and are operated by Eumetsat once in orbit, building on a long-standing collaboration between the two organisations. Thales Alenia Space France (TAS-F) leads the industrial consortium for MTG as the overall prime contractor for the MTG mission.
Media event for last view of MTG-I2
MTG-I2 at Compact Antenna Test Range, TAS, Cannes
The next date in the diary for MTG-I2 is Thursday, 16 April 2026, when a media event will be held at TAS’s cleanroom in Cannes, to view the satellite. It will be shown together with two other satellites: the European Space Agency’s Fluorescence Explorer satellite, known as FLEX, and the next satellite in the EU’s Copernicus programme, Sentinel-3C. This will be the last public view of the satellites before they are prepared for shipment to the European Spaceport in French Guiana.
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