| definition
| - Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) has been chosen as the name for the new family of Meteorological Satellites. Twenty-five years after the rollout of the first meteorological satellite in 1977, some six other Meteosats later, MSG is now a completely new series of geostationary meteorological satellites with three pieces already being produced and others that may follow within the next decade.
MSG is a joint project between ESA and Eumetsat, the organization set up in 1986 to establish, maintain and operate a European system of meteorological satellites. Three satellites are planned at present and a ground segment. ESA is responsible for designing and developing the first satellite - now already in orbit - and for procuring the other three on behalf of Eumetsat. Eumetsat is responsible for defining the payload based on user needs, procuring the ground segment and launchers, and operating the system.
With the launch of MSG-2, at any one time, two MSG satellites will be functional in geostationary orbit, the operational one being at 0 degrees longitude which is above equatorial west Africa, the other being on stand-by with 10 degrees of separation.
The first satellite, MSG-1 has been launched on board an Ariane 5 launcher in
August 2002. MSG-2 will follow later. MSG-3 will be built and put in storage
until it is required to take over as the operational MSG nears the end of its
life. Each satellite will have a nominal seven-year lifetime. A fourth MSG
satellite of the same design is foreseen to ensure continuity of service until
the end of the next decade.
Additional information can be found at "http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/MSG/"
Group: Platform_Details
Entry_ID: MSG
Group: Platform_Identification
Platform_Category: Earth Observation Satellites
Platform_Series_or_Entity: METEOSAT
Short_Name: MSG
Long_Name: Meteosat Second Generation
End_Group
Group: Synonymous_Platform_Names
Short_Name: Meteosat-9
Short_Name: Meteosat-8
Short_Name: MSG-1
Short_Name: MSG-2
End_Group
Group: Platform_Associated_Instruments
Short_Name: GERB
Short_Name: SEVIRI
End_Group
Group: Orbit
Orbit_Altitude: 35,800 km
Orbit_Inclination: 0 degrees
Orbit_Type: GEO > Geosynchronous > Geostationary
End_Group
Creation_Date: 2008-07-29
Online_Resource: http://www.esa.int/esaMI/MSG/SEMQSCULWFE_0.html
Group: Platform_Logistics
Launch_Date: 2005-12-25
Launch_Site: Kourou, French Guiana
Design_Life: 7 years
Primary_Sponsor: EUMETSAT
End_Group
End_Group (en)
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