The Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) program will expand into the 2020-2040 timeframe and massively improve the services currently delivered by the Meteosat Second Generation series in support of nowcasting and very short-range forecasting of high impact weather over Europe and Africa. MTG will be the most complex and innovative operational geostationary Earth observation system ever built, comprising two separate lines of imaging and sounding satellites operated simultaneously.

The EUMETSAT Director-General, Alain Ratier, said: “MSG-4 was the tenth Meteosat satellite successfully launched by Ariane and it will be essential for the smooth transition to Meteosat Third Generation. Excellent launch services will be equally essential, and this contract reflects the trust of the 30 Member States of EUMETSAT in Arianespace for the delivery of the first three MTG satellites to orbit.”

Arianespace Chairman and CEO Stéphane Israël said: “The trust placed by EUMETSAT in our launch solutions is a great honor for Arianespace: with this new order, additional momentum is given to the long-term partnership established between EUMETSAT and Arianespace. Beyond our duty to provide European institutions with reliable and guaranteed access to space, contributing to such innovative programs as MTG is a true source of pride. Many thanks to EUMETSAT for enabling Arianespace to be part of this endeavor, so beneficial to sustainable development on Earth.”

About Arianespace

Arianespace is the world’s leading satellite launch company. Founded in 1980, Arianespace deploys a family of three launchers, Ariane, Soyuz and Vega, to meet the needs of both commercial and government customers, and has performed over 250 launches to date. Backed by its 20 shareholders and the European Space Agency, Arianespace is the only company in the world capable of launching all types of payloads into all orbits, from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana. As of July 16, 2015, Arianespace had carried out 224 Ariane launches, 37 Soyuz launches (11 at the Guiana Space Center and 26 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, via Starsem) and five Vega launches. Arianespace is headquartered in Evry, near Paris, and has a facility at the Guiana Space Center, plus local offices in Washington D.C., Tokyo and Singapore.