Flight 207: Ariane 5 ECA/Echostar-17 - Astrium - EADS

Data relating to Flight 207
MSG-3
The Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) system
is responsible for observation of the atmosphere
from geostationary orbit at longitude 0°. As part of
the global operational satellite-based meteorology
system, MSG follows on from the first generation of
satellites and the original Meteosat Operational
Program (MOP) system. The MSG programme is a
complete system, comprising a ground segment and
four satellites. The European Space Agency (ESA)
runs the MSG programme on behalf of Eumetsat,
the European satellite-based meteorology organisation,
which today comprises 26 member states and 5
cooperating states.
The space segment consists of two MSG satellites,
in orbit simultaneously to guarantee the high level of
availability required for the mission, with one satellite
operational and the other on standby. MSG-1 (MET-
8) was launched in August 2002 and MSG-2 (MET-
9) in December 2005. The launch of MSG-4 is
planned for 2015. All the MSG satellites are built by
a European consortium headed by Thales Alenia
Space.
The MSG satellites work in conjunction with the low-Earth orbit weather satellites, such as the
European METOP. The advantage of geostationary satellite data is that they are global and
permanent. They are thus the basis for the work of the forecasters, who then refine the information
using that provided by the low-orbit satellites, which scan the surface of the globe with
extremely high precision.
The Météosat Programme is part of the
World Weather Watch.
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