MTG-I2 successfully launched: Europe’s new weather satellite constellation is now complete

Bremen / Kourou, August 28, 2026 - Good things come in threes: With the launch of the MTG-Imager 2 (MTG-I2) weather satellite aboard an Ariane 6 launcher from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana has reached another major milestone in weather forecasting and Earth observation. 36 minutes after liftoff, the satellite was successfully separated from the launch vehicle and injected into its designated geostationary transfer orbit. All three satellites of the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) constellation are now in orbit.
“The successful launch of MTG-I2 fills me with great pride. I would like to thank ESA and EUMETSAT, as well as our industrial partners, for this outstanding European team achievement. OHB has played a key role in the development and implementation of Europe’s new generation of meteorological satellites, and our teams have demonstrated exceptional dedication over many years while consistently meeting all programme milestones. With the MTG constellation now complete, we once again demonstrate our position as a reliable partner for sophisticated European satellite constellations,” said Marco Fuchs, CEO of OHB SE. “Accurate weather forecasts, early warnings of severe weather events and the continuous monitoring of our planet are more important today than ever before. The MTG satellites make a decisive contribution in this regard, delivering direct benefits for society, the economy and the environment,” Fuchs added.
Key role for OHB in the MTG programme
OHB has been a major contributor to the development of the entire MTG fleet developed under Thales Alenia Space’s prime contractorship. The system comprises two satellite families with a total of six satellites: four MTG Imagers (MTG-I) and two MTG Sounders (MTG-S). The Bremen-based space and technology company is responsible for all six satellite platforms and, in addition, supplied the four telescope assembly units for the Flexible Combined Imager (FCI) and both Infrared Sounder (IRS) instruments. OHB also served as prime contractor for the development and manufacture of the two MTG-S satellites, carrying overall responsibility for the sounder mission.
The first MTG Imager satellite, MTG-I1, was launched in December 2022. It was followed in July 2025 by MTG-S1, the first sounder satellite, which provides atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles from geostationary orbit at an altitude of approximately 36,000 kilometres. Experts at EUMETSAT and ESA have described it as a “world-class instrument.” Since entering service, both satellites have been operating highly reliably and delivering high-quality data.
Setting new standards for weather forecasting, climate analysis and environmental monitoring
Compared with their predecessors, the MTG satellites provide data with significantly higher spatial, temporal and spectral resolution. This allows atmospheric processes, cloud structures, temperature and humidity distributions, and weather systems to be observed in far greater detail. Once MTG-I2 enters operational service, the MTG constellation will enable unprecedented observations with a very high refresh rate: the full Earth disc will be imaged every ten minutes, while updated satellite imagery over Europe will be available every 2.5 minutes. This capability will allow the development and evolution of severe weather events to be monitored with significantly greater precision. In addition, the Lightning Imager aboard MTG-I1 enables, for the first time, continuous observation of lightning activity from geostationary orbit, enhancing the early detection of severe thunderstorms.
The Sentinel-4 Copernicus mission, integrated on the MTG Sounder satellites, further supports air quality monitoring over Europe. The resulting data will help detect weather extremes earlier, further improve the accuracy of meteorological forecasts, and enhance the monitoring and understanding of climate change and its impacts.
Data continuity well into the 2040s
With the successful launch of MTG-I2, the first operational constellation of the MTG programme is now fully deployed in space. The satellites currently in service have a nominal design lifetime of 8.5 years and carry sufficient propellant reserves to support operations for more than ten years.
Preparations for the future are already in place: three additional MTG satellite platforms and the Infrared Sounder Instrument are currently being kept in long-term storage at OHB as well as the otherinstruments at Thales Alenia Space’s premises. They will be used aboard the three future satellites that will replace the current constellation, ensuring the seamless continuation of Europe’s meteorological observation capabilities.
The MTG programme will therefore guarantee the continuous availability of high-quality weather, climate and Earth observation data well into the 2040s. Meteorological services, civil protection authorities, research institutions and numerous other users across Europe, Africa and neighbouring regions will be able to rely on consistent and dependable datasets for decades to come.
Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) is one of the most complex and innovative meteorological satellite systems ever developed in Europe. It will provide highly accurate data for weather forecasting, climate monitoring and environmental observation over the next two decades. At the same time, the programme showcases Europe’s technological excellence and the close cooperation between the European Space Agency (ESA), which developed the system together with industry, and EUMETSAT, which is responsible for operating the satellites and delivering their data and services to users worldwide.
Contact:
Media representatives:
Marianne Radel
Corporate Communications
Phone: +49 421 2020 9159
Email: marianne.radel@ohb.de
Investors and analysts:
Marcel Dietz
Investor Relations
Phone: +49 421 2020 6426
Email: ir@ohb.de