...the who's who,
and the what's what 
of the space industry

Space Careers

Products  Project List

MTG - Meteosat Third Generation

MTGMeteosat Third Generation, is a serie of geostationary meteorological satellites that will be procured and operated by the organisation EUMETSAT

Considering the long development cycle for a new observational space system, EUMETSAT has been working on the definition and the planning for a Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) system since the year 2000, as a continuation of the Meteosat (1st generation) and MSG (2nd generation) missions.

The Meteosat Third Generation series will comprise six satellites, with the first spacecraft likely to be ready for launch from 2018. The in orbit configuration will consist of two parallel positioned satellites, the MTG-I imager (a 3-tonne satellite with 16 nominal channels) and the MTG-S sounder. The sounder will be one of the key innovations in the new programme, allowing Meteosat satellites, for the first time, to not just image weather systems but to analyse the atmosphere layer-by-layer and perform far more detailed chemical composition studies.

Unlike the first and second generation Meteosat series, MTG will be based on three axes stabilised platforms, meaning the instruments will be pointed at the Earth for 100% of their in orbit time. Such improvements are necessary to achieve compliance with more demanding user requirements on spatial resolution; repeat cycle and signal to noise ratio, and are a prerequisite to conduct soundings from geostationary orbit.

MTG components providing continuity of MSG services need to be available around 2015, before the end of the nominal lifetime of MSG. MTG preparatory activities started end of 2000 in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA), following the decision of the EUMETSAT Council to proceed with a Post-MSG User Consultation Process. The process is aimed at capturing the foreseeable needs of users of EUMETSAT's satellite data in the 2015-2025 timeframe.

Additional Info

Read 2459 times

Latest News ...

House Armed Services Committee advances FY26 NDAA 
NDAA markup endorses commercial satellite programs, Democrats question Golden Dome spending

Read more

Support from satellite services grows to 18% of...
New research released by the UK Space Agency underscores the country’s growing reliance on satellit...

Read more

Synthetic biology could support future outposts on the...
Enable JavaScript and cookies to continue This request seems a bit unusual, so we need to confirm ...

Read more

Frontgrade Introduces the Industry’s Highest-Density, Space-Grade Managed NAND...
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – July 15, 2025 – Pushing the boundaries of in-orbit data storage, Frontgra...

Read more

Private spaceflight ends with a Pacific splashdown for...
Enable JavaScript and cookies to continue This request seems a bit unusual, so we need to confirm ...

Read more

Satellite constellations are too bright—may threaten astronomy and...
Enable JavaScript and cookies to continue This request seems a bit unusual, so we need to confirm ...

Read more

Study finds link between Grand Canyon landslide and...
Enable JavaScript and cookies to continue This request seems a bit unusual, so we need to confirm ...

Read more

A lunar base could start with a dome...
Enable JavaScript and cookies to continue This request seems a bit unusual, so we need to confirm ...

Read more

Φsat-2 begins science phase for AI Earth images...
Φsat-2, a miniature satellite, has completed its commissioning and has begun delivery of science d...

Read more

Interested in Space?

Hit the buttons below to follow us...