The three satellites are:
1. the European Space Agency’s Fluorescence Explorer satellite, known as FLEX,
2. the next satellite in the EU’s Copernicus programme, Sentinel-3C, as well as
3. the Meteosat Third Generation Imager weather satellite, MTG-I2.
The day includes a visit to see all three satellites in the cleanroom, plus presentations and interview opportunities at the headquarters of Thales Alenia Space in Cannes, France, on Thursday, 16 April, 2026.
During the cleanroom visit, registered media can take pictures of all three impressive spacecraft and their instruments. This will be the last public viewing of the satellites before they are prepared for shipment to Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. Leaders and experts from ESA Earth Observation, Eumetsat, the European Commission, Thales Alenia Space and others will be available on site for interviews.
FLEX: This is an innovative mission developed by ESA’s FutureEO programme in conjunction with the science community, to detect and measure the health of plants from space. It does this by detecting the fluorescence emitted by vegetation during the process of photosynthesis.
Copernicus Sentinel-3C: This is the third satellite for the Sentinel-3 mission, which provides essential information in near-real time for ocean and weather forecasting. Its suite of cutting-edge instruments also measure Earth’s land, ice and atmosphere to monitor and understand large-scale global dynamics.
Meteosat Third Generation-Imager2 (MTG-I2): 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.
Media visit programme, Thursday, 16 April 2026 (all times in CET, subject to last minute changes)
(Only with prior registration and clearance by Thales Alenia Space)
08:15 – Accreditation process at TAS headquarters and welcome coffee
08:30 – Welcome addresses by:
- Hervé Derrey, CEO of Thales Alenia Space
- Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programs at ESA
- Mauro Facchini, Head of Unit for Earth Observation in the European Commission - Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DEFIS)
- Paul Counet, Head of Strategy, Communication and International Relations at Eumetsat
09:10 – MTG-I2 presentations
10:00 – Sentinel-3C presentations
10:45 – Coffee break
11:00 – FLEX presentations
11:30 – Q&A
12:00 – Buffet lunch
13:30 – Cleanroom visits in groups
16:30 – Farewell and transfer to train station or airport
Media registration and contact
Note that numbers admitted to the cleanrooms are very limited, so prior registration is essential. Media representatives are requested to register by Tuesday, 31 March 2026 at latest by filling in the appropriate form here: https://blogs.esa.int/forms/esa-media-briefing-form.
For questions, please contact .
Event address
Thales Alenia Space, 5 allée des Gabians, Cannes, France
Accommodation
- Please note that journalists’ travel and accommodation costs will not be covered.
- A group booking has been made at Mercure Cannes Mandelieu Hotel (6 All. des Cormorans, 06150 Cannes)
Alternative accommodation can be reserved at: Pullman Cannes Mandelieu Hotel (605 Av. du Général de Gaulle, 06210 Mandelieu-la-Napoule) or Casarose Hotel (780 Av. de la Mer, 06210 Mandelieu-la-Napoule)
Further information
ESA Earth Observation Programmes: https://www.esa.int/eo
Background on FLEX
The Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX) satellite is ESA’s eighth Earth Explorer mission, which is part of ESA’s FutureEO innovation programme. It is designed to shed new light on the health of the world’s vegetation. Its instrument, the Fluorescence Imaging Spectrometer (Floris), measures the faint fluorescent glow emitted by plants when they photosynthesise. This fluorescent signal can be detected from space and will be used to assess the health and stress of plants. Thales Alenia Space is the satellite’s prime contractor, while the Floris instrument was provided by Leonardo, Italy.
FLEX content and latest news
FLEX image gallery
FLEX video gallery
Background on Copernicus Sentinel-3C
The Sentinel-3 mission, together with the other Sentinel missions, delivers data and imagery for the European Commission’s Copernicus programme. This unique environmental monitoring programme is changing the way we view and manage our environment, understand and tackle the effects of climate change and safeguard everyday lives. Sentinel-3 measures Earth’s oceans, land, ice and atmosphere to monitor and understand large-scale global dynamics. It provides essential information in near-real time for ocean and weather forecasting. The Sentinel-3C satellite will extend the mission’s lifetime and will be placed in orbit with the -3A and -3B satellites.
Sentinel-3 content and latest news
Sentinel-3 image gallery
Sentinel-3 video gallery
Background on MTG-I2
The MTG-I2 satellite will join two MTG satellites already in orbit (MTG-I1, launched in December 2022, and MTG-Sounder, launched in July 2025). From geostationary orbit, 36 000 km above Earth, these European weather satellites provide completely new data products and capabilities, especially suited to nowcasting severe weather events. The full MTG system comprises six satellites, four imaging satellites (MTG-I) and two sounding satellites (MTG-S), with the first three to be replaced with three more, to ensure the mission remains operational for 20 years. Now it’s time to launch the third MTG satellite: MTG-I2. ESA and Eumetsat cooperate on the MTG mission, with ESA responsible for the definition and implementation of the MTG satellites, while Eumetsat is responsible for operating the spacecraft. Thales Alenia Space is the industrial prime contractor for the MTG mission.
MTG content and latest news
MTG image gallery
MTG video gallery
Meteosat Third Generation's first stunning image
First data from Europe’s Lightning Imager
ESA images
ESA's Photo Library for Professionals: https://photolibrary.esa.int/home-page/ (registration needed)
Terms and conditions for using ESA images: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Terms_and_conditions_of_use_of_images_and_videos_available_on_the_esa_website
For questions or more information related to ESA images, please contact directly:
ESA videos
ESA's Video Library for Professionals:
https://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos_for_Professionals
Terms and conditions for using ESA videos:
https://www.esa.int/spaceinvideos/Terms_and_Conditions
For questions or more information related to ESA videos, please contact directly
Social media
Follow ESA Earth observation on:
Twitter: @ESA_EO
Instagram: @ESA_Earth
Bluesky: @esaearth.esa.int
LinkedIn: ESA Earth Observation
Follow ESA on:
Twitter: @esa
Bluesky: @ESA
Facebook: @EuropeanSpaceAgency
Instagram: @europeanspaceagency
YouTube: ESA
LinkedIn: European Space Agency
Pinterest: European Space Agency
About the European Space Agency
The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.
ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
ESA has 23 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Latvia and Lithuania are Associate Members.
ESA has established formal cooperation with five Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.
By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes as well as with Eumetsat for the development of meteorological missions.
Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int