The Ariane-5 carrying the first Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) is ready for launch on the ELA-3 pad at Kourou, French Guiana. The 2 t MSG-1 was launched by Ariane-513 (V155) at 22:45 UT 28 August 2002 into geostationary transfer orbit (together with the commercial Atlantic Bird-1 telecommunications satellite). In orbit, ESAs European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt (D) took the spacecraft under control on behalf of Eumetsat for the Launch and Early Operations Phase. This entailed a series of firings of the Liquid Apogee Boost Motors to increase raise its altitude to 36 000 km. It was then aligned and its spin rate stabilised at 100 rpm. MSG-1 arrived at its commissioning location of 10.5degW on 25 September 2002, and ESOC handed over control to Eumetsat. The satellite will become Europes primary weather satellite, taking over from Meteosat-7, at 0deg longitude. The MSG series will continue and expand the services provided by Europe's series of geostationary meteorological satellites since 1977. ESA is responsible for developing the new satellites on behalf of Eumetsat. MSG-2 is expected to be launch in early 2005, and MSG-3 in 2009. A fourth satellite may be procured to continue services beyond 2014.