EUMETSAT announces MTG-I2 satellite launch for August 2026

EUMETSAT has announced that the Meteosat Third Generation Imager 2 (MTG-I2) satellite is scheduled for launch on August 27, 2026. The satellite will be deployed via an Ariane 6 rocket from the European Spaceport in French Guiana.

As the third member of the MTG constellation, MTG-I2 will join the existing MTG-Imager and MTG-Sounder in orbit. The satellite is equipped with a Flexible Combined Imager (FCI) designed to provide high-resolution atmospheric scans. Unlike its predecessor, which provides full coverage of Europe and Africa every 10 minutes, MTG-I2 will deliver rapid-scan images every 2.5 minutes over Europe and North Africa.

This increased frequency is intended to improve the detection and forecasting of extreme weather events, such as thunderstorms, forest fires, and dust clouds. The European Space Agency (ESA) will host a media event at its ESTEC center in Noordwijk, Netherlands, to observe the launch and interview mission experts.