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N° 64–2022: Media invitation: Meteosat Third Generation Imager-1 Launch

28 November 2022

On 13 December, the first Meteosat Third Generation Imager satellite will launch from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

A wide range of pre-launch and launch media activities are available. Media representatives are invited to join the online pre-launch press briefings on 5 December and to participate in the European Launch Event on 13 December at ESA’s European Space Research and Technology Centre facility (ESTEC) in The Netherlands.

Meteosat Third Generation Imager-1 (MTG-I1) is the first of a new generation of satellites providing crucial insights for the early detection and prediction of fast-developing severe storms, weather forecasting and climate monitoring.

The satellite will carry two completely new instruments: Europe’s first Lightning Imager and a Flexible Combined Imager. Once in orbit, this cutting-edge satellite promises to further bolster Europe's leadership in weather forecasting.

Meteosat Third Generation, one of the most complex and innovative satellite systems ever built, will provide improved critical data for weather forecasting from geostationary orbit for the next two decades.

Building on the long-standing partnership between ESA and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat), and designed and built by a consortium of 100+ European industrial partners led by Thales Alenia Space, MTG is a prime example of Europe’s technological excellence.

Journalists are invited to the following media activities:

Online pre-launch press briefing per language

English (Monday 5 December, 15:30–16:15 CET)

Participants:

  • Simonetta Cheli, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes
  • Phil Evans, Director General Eumetsat
  • Bertrand DENIS, VP Observation and Science at Thales Alenia Space
  • Simon Keogh, Head of Space Applications and Nowcasting Research & Development Met Office
  • Paul Blythe, Meteosat Programme Manager ESA 

The press conference will be moderated (in English) by Ninja Menning, Head of Newsroom and Media Relations, ESA.

French (Monday 5 December, 16:15–17:00 CET)

Participants:

  • Donny Aminou, MTG Payload Product Manager ESA
  • Susanne Dieterle, System Manager Eumetsat
  • Bertrand DENIS, VP Observation and Science at Thales Alenia Space
  • Sylvain Le Moal, Head of the satellite data valorisation division Météo-France            

German (Monday 5 December, 16:15–17:00 CET)

Participants:

  • Martin Peccia, MTG Product Assurance and Safety Manager ESA
  • Alexander Schmid, H/GEO and MTG programme Manager Eumetsat
  • Rüdiger Schönfeld, Director Earth Observation Systems OHB
  • Rainer Hollmann, Head of the satellite-based climate monitoring division including the CM-SAF DWD

The press conference will be moderated (in German) by Ninja Menning, Head of Newsroom and Media Relations, ESA.

Italian (Monday 5 December, 11:00–14:15 CET)

Media representatives are invited to join a hybrid press briefing, either at Telespazio’s premises in Fucino, or online.

Programme (all times in CET)

11:00 Doors open and registration
11:15–12:15 Italian press briefing with high-level speakers from ESA, Telespazio, Eumetsat, Leonardo
12:30 – 13:15 Visit at the LEOP Control room and one-on-one interviews
13:15 – 14:15 Light lunch

Participants:

  • Luigi Pasquali, Space activities coordinator of Leonardo and CEO of Telespazio
  • Simonetta Cheli, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes
  • Paolo Ruti, Chief Scientist Eumetsat
  • Claudio Bruno, EU Observation Programs Director at Thales Alenia Space
  • Carlo Simoncelli, Lightning Imager Program Manager Leonardo
  • Ernesto Cerone, Flight Director LEOP MTG of Telespazio 

Location:
Fucino Space Centre (Centro Spaziale del Fucino)
Piana del Fucino, Ortucchio, Via Cintarella,
67050 Ortucchio AQ
Italy

A bus departing from 09:00 from Rome to Telespazio’s premises in Fucino is available to journalists wishing to attend the event.

MTG-I European Launch Event at ESA’s European Space Research Centre (ESTEC)

Tuesday, 13 December

Programme (all times in CET)

18:00 Welcome and registration
18:30 Light buffet dinner
19:45 “Meteosat Third Generation: Next-generation weather and climate monitoring”
21:00 Start of live transmission from Europe’s Spaceport
21:30 LIFTOFF
22:15 End of live transmission – drinks and live music
22:45 Solar array deployment success statements
23:30 End of event and bus transfer to hotels

A variety of high-level experts and spokespersons will be available for interviews before the programme begins.

Location:

ESA - ESTEC
Keplerlaan 1, 2201 AZ Noordwijk
The Netherlands

ESA Web TV

The English pre-launch press briefing, as well as the launch, will be streamed via ESA Web TV.

Media registration

Please express interest by 2 December at 15:00 CET for the English, French and German pre-launch press briefing and by 7 December for the European Launch Event, specifying which media activity you would like to attend:

https://blogs.esa.int/forms/esa-media-briefing-form

After registering, media will receive additional information and the link to join the online information session (WebEx platform) or further information regarding the European Launch Event at ESA’s ESTEC facility.

Italian hybrid event

Media representatives interested in attending the Italian hybrid event at Telespazio premises are requested to register via email by Tuesday 29 November at latest by contacting telespazio.pressoffice@telespazio.com .

Further information

Meteosat Third Generation

Meteosat Third Generation Imager-1

ESA Space Transportation

https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Meteorological_missions/meteosat_third_generation/Locked_and_loaded 

Social media

Follow ESA on

Twitter:  @esa @ESA_EO @esa_sts @ariane5
Facebook: @EuropeanSpaceAgency
Instagram: @europeanspaceagency @ESA_Earth
LinkedIn: European Space Agency - ESA
Pinterest: European Space Agency - ESA

Hashtags: #MTGI1 #ariane5  

Images

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Missions/MTG/(result_type)/images

ESA's Photo Library for Professionals:

https://www.esa-photolibrary.com/

Terms and conditions for using ESA images:

www.esa.int/spaceinimages/ESA_Multimedia/Copyright_Notice_Images

For questions or more information related to ESA images, please contact directly spaceinimages@esa.int

Videos

https://www.esa.int/esatv/Videos/2022/09/New_weather_satellite_on_its_way_to_launch

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Missions/MTG/(result_type)/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 spaceinvideos@esa.int

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 22 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia are Associate Members.

ESA has established formal cooperation with four 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

For further information:

ESA Newsroom and Media Relations Office – Ninja Menning

Email: media@esa.int

Tel: +31 71 5656409