VA259 MTG-I1 + Intelsat Galaxy 35 + Galaxy 36

The first Meteosat Third Generation Imager (MTG-I1) satellite lifted off on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on 13 December at 21:20 CET.

From geostationary orbit, 36,000 km above the equator, this all-new weather satellite will provide state-of-the art observations of Earth’s atmosphere and realtime monitoring of lightning events, taking weather forecasting to the next level. The satellite carries two completely new instruments: Europe’s first Lightning Imager and a Flexible Combined Imager.

MTG-I1 is the first of six satellites that form the full MTG system, which will provide critical data for weather forecasting over the next 20 years. In full operations, the mission will comprise two MTG-I satellites and one MTG Sounding (MTG-S) satellites working in tandem.

MTG-I1 flew with two rideshare payloads: Intelsat's Galaxy 35 and Galaxy 36 telecommunications satellites. All three were placed into geostationary transfer orbit by Ariane 5 before continuing their journeys to their operational orbits on the so-called geostationary ring girdling the equator.