On November 6, 2026, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) released the first images from MTG-I2, the second imaging satellite of the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) series. The release includes a full-disk image taken on October 20 and an animation covering 45 hours from November 3, observing Europe and North Africa at 2.5-minute intervals. The 2.5-minute interval is planned for after operations begin. According to EUMETSAT, it is twice the frequency of the rapid-scan observations (5-minute intervals) of the previous generation, Meteosat Second Generation (MSG). It is also the same interval Japan's Himawari-8 and Himawari-9 use for observations of the Japan area. However, MTG-I2 is still undergoing calibration and validation, and formal operations are expected to begin in the second quarter (April–June) of 2027.
What the October 20 Full-Disk Image and the 45-Hour Animation Show
The first full-disk image was captured at 10:45 UTC on October 20, 2026, by the satellite's imager, the Flexible Combined Imager (FCI). It shows an entire hemisphere of Earth from geostationary orbit at an altitude of about 36,000 km. According to EUMETSAT, a wide area from northern Europe to the North Atlantic is covered in cloud, while the skies above the Sahara Desert are almost cloud-free. The image was made public on November 6, more than two weeks after it was taken.
The animation released at the same time stitches together images of Europe and North Africa taken at 2.5-minute intervals over 45 hours from November 3. ESA and EUMETSAT say it shows fog and low cloud lingering over central Europe and tall convective clouds developing over the Mediterranean. Over the Atlantic, clouds at different altitudes can be seen moving in opposite directions. Smoke from a wildfire that broke out in central Portugal on November 3 is also visible, they say.
All of these images were acquired during the pre-operational calibration and validation phase. EUMETSAT will begin distributing the data as official observations only after testing and tuning of the satellite and its instruments are complete.
How Narrowing the Observation Area Shortens the Imaging Interval
The imager aboard the previous-generation MSG, SEVIRI, has 12 channels and observes an entire hemisphere of Earth every 15 minutes. According to EUMETSAT's service description, limiting the observation area to Europe and surrounding seas, equivalent to the northern third of the full-disk area, makes a rapid scan at 5-minute intervals possible. MSG is a group of satellites launched between 2002 and 2015, and MTG is its successor.
The imager on a geostationary weather satellite builds up an image by scanning Earth's surface in sequence. Observing a whole hemisphere requires scanning a wide area, but restricting the target to a particular region allows the same place to be imaged repeatedly at shorter intervals. EUMETSAT likewise explains that MSG's rapid scan increases the number of observations by narrowing the scan area. With this approach, MSG achieved 5-minute intervals for a limited region, compared with 15 minutes for full-disk observation.
With MTG, separate satellites handle full-disk observation and the rapid scan over Europe. Meteosat-12 (formerly MTG-I1), the first satellite, launched on December 13, 2022, observes an entire hemisphere of Earth every 10 minutes. MTG-I2, meanwhile, will limit the FCI's observation area to Europe and North Africa and image it every 2.5 minutes once operations begin. EUMETSAT says this observation frequency is double that of the previous generation's rapid-scan service.
The number of observable wavelength bands has also grown. According to ESA, the FCI has 16 channels, with a normal spatial resolution of 1–2 km for full-disk observation. The increase from SEVIRI's 12 channels lets it capture more information across different wavelength bands. According to EUMETSAT's specifications, two channels for high-resolution observation, at 0.640 µm and 2.25 µm, have a spatial resolution of 500 m, while the 3.8 µm and 10.5 µm channels have a resolution of 1 km. These values apply at the sub-satellite point, however, and the actual ground resolution differs by observation location.
Comparing Observation Intervals: Himawari, GOES and Meteosat
Japan's Himawari-8 and Himawari-9 operate on a basic 10-minute cycle. According to the Meteorological Satellite Center of the Japan Meteorological Agency, full-disk observation takes place every 10 minutes, while the two Japan-area regions, northeastern and southwestern Japan (each 2,000 km east-west by 1,000 km north-south), are observed at roughly 2.5-minute intervals. A mobile observation area of 1,000 km by 1,000 km is also imaged at about 2.5-minute intervals. According to Mitsubishi Electric, which built the satellites, the 2.5-minute observation of the Japan area became possible with Himawari-8, launched on October 7, 2014.
Within each 10-minute cycle, Himawari observes the full disk once and the Japan area four times. While a single Himawari satellite handles full-disk observation and rapid regional observation in parallel, with MTG Meteosat-12 handles the full disk and MTG-I2 handles the rapid scan of Europe and North Africa. In other words, although both adopt 2.5-minute regional observation, the satellites are operated in different configurations.
In the standard observation mode of the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI), "Mode 6," the US GOES-R series images the full disk every 10 minutes, the contiguous United States every 5 minutes, and mesoscale regions every minute. According to materials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Mode 6 became the standard mode on April 2, 2019. Comparing the full-disk and regional observation intervals published by each agency gives the following:
| Satellite (series) | Full-disk interval | Regional interval | Regional coverage | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSG (SEVIRI) | 15 min | 5 min | Northern third of the full-disk area (Europe and surrounding seas) | EUMETSAT |
| Meteosat-12 (MTG unit 1) | 10 min | Not responsible | Not responsible | ESA, EUMETSAT |
| MTG-I2 (planned value after operations begin) | Handled by Meteosat-12 | 2.5 min | Europe and North Africa | ESA, EUMETSAT |
| Himawari-8 and -9 | 10 min | About 2.5 min | Japan area (two regions of 2,000 km east-west × 1,000 km north-south) and mobile observation (1,000 km × 1,000 km) | JMA |
| GOES-R series (ABI, Mode 6) | 10 min | 5 min for the contiguous US, 1 min for mesoscale regions | Contiguous US and mesoscale regions | NOAA |
It is worth noting that MTG-I2's 2.5-minute figure is the only value that is a planned figure for after formal operations begin. Himawari-8 and -9 already observe the Japan area at about 2.5-minute intervals, whereas MTG-I2 is scheduled to begin routine operation at the same interval in 2027. The JMA also describes its interval as "about 2.5 minutes," and the size of the target area differs by satellite. Even at the same interval, the area imaged in one scan is not necessarily equal, so satellite performance cannot be compared on this number alone.
For full-disk observation, MTG's 10-minute interval matches the standard operation of Himawari and the GOES-R series. Because MSG's interval was 15 minutes, the move to MTG has also increased full-disk observation frequency. For European geostationary weather satellites, regional observation is being shortened from 5 minutes to 2.5, and Meteosat-12 has already shortened full-disk observation from 15 minutes to 10.
Regional observation intervals, on the other hand, differ by satellite. The shortest among the standard operations compared is the 1-minute interval for mesoscale regions on the GOES-R series, while the 5-minute interval for the contiguous US matches MSG's rapid scan. Each satellite combines a different observation area and update frequency, and is operated to suit regional weather monitoring.
The Roles of the First Three MTG Satellites, With a Lightning Imager and an Infrared Sounder
In addition to the FCI, MTG-I2 carries the Lightning Imager (LI), an instrument that detects lightning discharges day and night. According to ESA, the LI on MTG-I2 has performance equivalent to that on the first satellite. The LI on the first satellite, launched in 2022, was Europe's first instrument of its kind. With MTG-I2 added, both Meteosat-12 and MTG-I2 in geostationary orbit will carry lightning imagers.
The third MTG satellite is the sounder satellite MTG-S1. Launched on July 1, 2025, it began operational infrared sounder observations on October 15, 2026, as "Meteosat-13," according to EUMETSAT. An infrared sounder observes the atmosphere across many infrared wavelength bands to estimate how temperature and water vapor are distributed by altitude. EUMETSAT describes it as the first satellite to make infrared sounder observations from geostationary orbit for Europe.
The MTG program consists of four imaging satellites and two sounder satellites, and the launch of MTG-I2 brought the first three together. Meteosat-12 observes the full disk every 10 minutes, and MTG-I2 images Europe and North Africa every 2.5 minutes. Meteosat-13 also measures the vertical structure of the atmosphere, so the different observation data can be combined. ESA and EUMETSAT aim to capture the three-dimensional distribution of lightning, wind, clouds and atmospheric gases and how they change over time, building four-dimensional weather data.
The satellites' development and operation involve a division of roles. ESA is responsible for development, and manufacturing was carried out by a European industrial consortium led by Thales Alenia Space. Key partners include OHB System of Germany and Leonardo of Italy. EUMETSAT, which has 30 member states, handles operation of the satellites once post-launch testing and tuning are complete, and distribution of the observation data.
First Image 54 Days After Launch; Operations Planned for Q2 2027
MTG-I2 was launched at 22:11 Central European Summer Time on August 27, 2026, on an Ariane 6 rocket (flight VA270) from French Guiana. It was Ariane 6's ninth launch and the first mission in which the rocket placed a satellite into geostationary transfer orbit. Telespazio handled initial operations immediately after launch, after which control was handed over to EUMETSAT. The main milestones from launch to the release of the first images are as follows:
- August 27, 2026: Launched on Ariane 6 from French Guiana
- September 9, 2026: Initial post-launch operations completed; EUMETSAT's control center in Darmstadt, Germany, takes over control of the satellite
- October 20, 2026: First full-disk image captured by the FCI
- November 3, 2026: Start of the 45-hour animation observing Europe and North Africa at 2.5-minute intervals
- November 6, 2026: First full-disk image and animation released
- Q2 2027: Formal start of operations planned
October 20, when MTG-I2 acquired its first full-disk image, was 54 days after the August 27 launch. This figure is calculated from the launch date announced by ESA and the first-image date given by EUMETSAT. Calibration and validation work is currently under way to calibrate the instrument output and check the quality and accuracy of the acquired data. Formal operations are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2027, and the release of these first images shows that preparations are progressing.
Julia Hunter-Anderson, who oversaw the initial post-launch operations at EUMETSAT, had explained at the time of the handover of control that once operational preparations are complete, MTG-I2 will make observations at 2.5-minute intervals possible. On November 6, EUMETSAT Director-General Phil Evans also said that just two months after launch, MTG-I2 had demonstrated the potential of rapid-scan observation. He expressed hope that rapidly developing weather phenomena over Europe could be identified earlier than before.
The MTG program will continue. According to ESA, the next group of satellites will be launched in sequence from 2033, and the mission as a whole is expected to run beyond 2040. The images released show the capability for 2.5-minute observation, but calibration and validation must be completed before it can be used as a continuous weather monitoring service. The key question going forward is whether MTG-I2 begins operations on schedule in April–June 2027 and can reliably deliver 2.5-minute observation data for Europe and North Africa in parallel with Meteosat-12's 10-minute full-disk observation.