Space

SpaceX Launches Europe's First Geostationary Sounder Satellite

Published JUL 2 2025

Story

Above: The Meteosat Third Generation Sounder. Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Facts

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the Meteosat Third Generation Sounder 1 (MTG-S1) satellite from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 23:04 CEST on Tuesday.
Space
OHB SE
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MTG-S1 is the first European geostationary meteorological sounder satellite, positioned 36,000 kilometers (22,369 miles) above Earth to provide continuous monitoring of Europe and northern Africa with three-dimensional atmospheric data every 30 minutes.
EUMETSAT
Met Office
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The satellite carries dual missions, including an Infrared Sounder instrument developed by OHB System AG and the Copernicus Sentinel-4 spectrometer, which will monitor air quality and atmospheric pollutants across Europe on an hourly basis.
ESA
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RAL Space Europe's next
According to the European Space Agency officials, MTG-S1 will revolutionize severe weather prediction by detecting atmospheric instability before cloud formation, potentially saving lives through earlier storm warnings and improved nowcasting capabilities.
EUMETSAT
ESA
RAL Space Europe's next
The satellite deployment is a collaborative effort between EUMETSAT, ESA, and the European Commission, with industrial partners including Thales Alenia Space and OHB System AG.
Space
Mirage News
Space Daily
MTG-S1 joins the previously launched MTG-I imaging satellite in 2022, forming part of a six-satellite constellation designed to provide enhanced weather forecasting services across Europe for the next two decades.
Ritzau
Met Office
Space Daily

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The Spin

Techno-optimist narrative

This launch showcases European technological excellence and international cooperation at its finest. The MTG-S1 satellite will provide life-saving weather data that protects communities from extreme weather events that have already cost Europe hundreds of billions in damages. European innovation leads the world in space-based meteorological services.

Mirage News

EUMETSAT

Techno-skeptic narrative

While the satellite represents impressive engineering, the massive €2.4 billion price tag raises questions about cost-effectiveness compared to existing weather monitoring systems. The complex international bureaucracy involving multiple agencies may slow decision-making and operational efficiency compared to streamlined national programs.

Space

OHB SE