A European satellite, Meteosat Third Generation Sounder (MTG-S1), designed to monitor weather and air quality for Europe and North Africa, was successfully launched from Florida on Tuesday evening using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The satellite is the second in a six-satellite series developed by the European Organisation for the Exploration of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) alongside the European Space Agency (ESA).
The MTG-S1 satellite will provide detailed vertical profiles of atmospheric temperature and humidity, with a resolution of 4×4 km squared. It is equipped with a sounding instrument weighing about 400 kg, which has a wet mass of about 3.8 tonnes. The satellite also carries the Copernicus Sentinel-4 instrument, an ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared light spectrometer that will capture hourly data on pollution and air quality.
The launch was delayed due to various factors, including the need for more time to fully develop the technology onboard the MTG-S1 satellite. Teams loaded propellant onto the satellite just a few miles away from the Kennedy Space Center in June, and it took about 2 tonnes of fuel and oxidizer to power the vehicle.
ESA officials hope that this new sounder, combined with imaging data from previous generations, will provide key information to help better respond to severe weather events. The MTG-S1 satellite is also equipped to detect pollution patterns in near real-time, supporting decision-makers and protecting public health.
This launch marks a significant partnership between EUMETSAT and the European Commission, as well as ESA. The Sentinel-4 instrument comes from the European Commission and will be shared with EUMETSAT for operational purposes. The satellite combination will also launch on an Ariane 6 rocket in the future.
Source: https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/07/01/live-coverage-eumetsat-esa-to-launch-combo-mtg-s1-sentinel-4-satellite-on-spacex-falcon-9-rocket-from-nasas-kennedy-space-center