The European Space Agency held a media briefing on Wednesday 19 August 2026 ahead of the planned launch of the Meteosat Third Generation Imager satellite MTG-I2, according to a report published by ESA that day. The satellite is set to launch on an Ariane 6 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on 27 August.

ESA describes MTG-I2 as the third satellite for MTG, completing the MTG constellation. The agency says the satellites together will produce weather-forecasting images for Europe in unprecedented detail, with new data products and capabilities for European weather services, particularly for nowcasting severe weather events.

The MTG-Imager satellites carry two instruments: a Lightning Imager and a Flexible Combined Imager. ESA says the Lightning Imager offers new capabilities for European meteorological satellites by continuously monitoring lightning, while the Flexible Combined Imager builds a picture of fast-evolving weather systems for timely warnings. From its geostationary position 36 000 km above the equator, it can scan the entire Earth surface in just 10 minutes and Europe and northern Africa every 2.5 minutes.