MSG-4 on the launch pad

The last weather satellite in Europe’s highly successful Meteosat Second Generation (MTG)series on the launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana ready for launch on 15 July 2015. The MSG satellites provide full-disc images over Europe and Africa every 15 minutes and ‘rapid scan’ imagery over Europe every five minutes. They are operated by Eumetsat – the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites – and ESA is responsible for their design, development and in-orbit delivery.