Testing MTG imager

A test model of the main imager for Europe’s Meteosat Third Generation weather in ESA’s satellite testing facilities in the Netherlands in 2018. Developed by Thales Alenia Space, this is a ‘structural and thermal model’ test version of the mammoth Flexible Combined Instrument, which will provide state of the art measurements of Earth’s atmosphere across 16 visible and infrared channels. The flight version of this instrument will serve aboard the Meteosat Third Generation-series of imaging satellites, dubbed MTG-I. Developed in cooperation with Eumetsat these satellites will be accompanied by additional MTG ‘sounding’ satellites in geostationary orbit.