The second satellite in the Meteosat Third Generation Imager series has arrived at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana and begun its launch campaign ahead of a planned liftoff toward the end of summer, the European Space Agency said.
The spaceport sits on the northeastern coast of South America. There, technicians removed MTG-I2 from its protective casing after arrival, the agency said. The 3,800 kg spacecraft will undergo final inspections before being placed inside the fairing of an Ariane 6 rocket in preparation for flight.
Once in orbit, MTG-I2 is designed to improve weather forecasting for Europe and North Africa, according to the European Space Agency. The satellite is the second of its kind in the imager series, following the first MTG-I spacecraft, and carries instruments built to deliver more precise atmospheric data to forecasters serving those regions.
The Ariane 6 rocket carrying MTG-I2 is scheduled to lift off from the French Guiana facility toward the end of summer. Final inspections and fairing integration remain ahead before the 3,800 kg satellite is ready for launch.