Jacques van Oene
November 2nd 04, 10:14 PM
N° 58-2004 - Paris, 2 November 2004
MSG-4 contract means sunny outlook for European weather forecasting
The contract for a fourth Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) spacecraft was
signed today, ensuring continuity of European meteorological satellite
services with the delivery of data for weather forecasting, climate and the
environment for many years into the future.
The contract and cooperation agreement for construction of the MSG-4
satellite were signed at ESA Headquarters in Paris by Jean-Jacques Dordain,
ESA Director General, Lars Prahm, EUMETSAT Director General, and Pascale
Sourisse, Chief Executive Officer of Alcatel Space.
French firm Alcatel Space is prime contractor for MSG-4 while EUMETSAT will
finance, launch and operate the satellite. ESA is responsible for managing
the satellite construction contract with industry. The price of the MSG-4
satellite contract is ?135 million, calculated at December 2001 economic
conditions, with delivery expected in 2007.
"This is another excellent example of ESA's commitment to utilitarian
activities, developing space systems to support public services for the
benefit of citizens in Europe and other parts of the world," said ESA
Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain.
Since ESA launched Meteosat-1 into the geostationary orbit 36 000 km above
the Earth in 1977, this system of satellites supplying continuous images and
data for weather forecasting, climate and the environment has become an
integral part of European life. Millions of us see Meteosat images in our
television weather reports every day.
In December 1995, when the seventh Meteosat was launched, operational
control of the system was transferred from ESA to EUMETSAT - the European
Organisation for the Exploitation of Meterological Satellites, based in
Darmstadt, Germany. Product and services from EUMETSAT's satellites make a
significant contribution to weather forecasting and to the monitoring of the
global climate.
ESA and EUMETSAT jointly decided not only to continue the Meteosat system
but to enhance it with an improved satellite design called Meteosat Second
Generation. The new satellite acquires images of the Earth's surface and
clouds in sharper resolution across a wider range of wavelengths and at more
frequent intervals than the imagers aboard its Meteosat predecessors.
To date three MSG satellites have been constructed. The first, MSG-1, was
launched on 28 August 2002 and in January this year started routine
operations, as Meteosat-8 to mark its formally becoming part of the Meteosat
family. The follow-on satellites in the series are MSG-2, MSG-3 - and now
MSG-4.
MSG-2 is scheduled for launch in June 2005, explained Lars Prahm, EUMETSAT's
Director General "It will be placed in a parking orbit until needed to take
over its sister satellite's duties, waiting in the wings to ensure seamless
continuity of service. Collectively the three MSGs are projected to provide
up to 15 years of meteorological coverage, and with today's addition of
MSG-4 this figure will be significantly extended."
The close cooperation between ESA and EUMETSAT is due to bear fruit in
another area at the end of 2005, when the first of three Metop satellites is
to be launched into low-Earth polar orbit.
Replacing a service previously supplied by the US National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Metop series is a joint undertaking
between ESA and Eumetsat, and forms the space segment of EUMETSAT's Polar
System (EPS).
Metop will carry a number of European and American instruments to measure
temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction and also atmospheric ozone.
The mission is Europe's first-ever polar orbiting satellite dedicated to
operational meteorology.
For further information please contact:
Franco Bonacina
ESA Media Relations Division
Tel. : + 33(0)1.53.69.7155
Fax. :+ 33(0)1.53.69.7690
Livia Briese
EUMETSAT Media Relations
Tel: +49(0)6151.807.839
Fax: +49(0)6151.807.866
Sandrine Bielecki
ALCATEL SPACE Media Relations
Tel: +33(0)4.92.92.7094
Fax: +33(0)4.92.92.3310
--
---------------------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info
MSG-4 contract means sunny outlook for European weather forecasting
The contract for a fourth Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) spacecraft was
signed today, ensuring continuity of European meteorological satellite
services with the delivery of data for weather forecasting, climate and the
environment for many years into the future.
The contract and cooperation agreement for construction of the MSG-4
satellite were signed at ESA Headquarters in Paris by Jean-Jacques Dordain,
ESA Director General, Lars Prahm, EUMETSAT Director General, and Pascale
Sourisse, Chief Executive Officer of Alcatel Space.
French firm Alcatel Space is prime contractor for MSG-4 while EUMETSAT will
finance, launch and operate the satellite. ESA is responsible for managing
the satellite construction contract with industry. The price of the MSG-4
satellite contract is ?135 million, calculated at December 2001 economic
conditions, with delivery expected in 2007.
"This is another excellent example of ESA's commitment to utilitarian
activities, developing space systems to support public services for the
benefit of citizens in Europe and other parts of the world," said ESA
Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain.
Since ESA launched Meteosat-1 into the geostationary orbit 36 000 km above
the Earth in 1977, this system of satellites supplying continuous images and
data for weather forecasting, climate and the environment has become an
integral part of European life. Millions of us see Meteosat images in our
television weather reports every day.
In December 1995, when the seventh Meteosat was launched, operational
control of the system was transferred from ESA to EUMETSAT - the European
Organisation for the Exploitation of Meterological Satellites, based in
Darmstadt, Germany. Product and services from EUMETSAT's satellites make a
significant contribution to weather forecasting and to the monitoring of the
global climate.
ESA and EUMETSAT jointly decided not only to continue the Meteosat system
but to enhance it with an improved satellite design called Meteosat Second
Generation. The new satellite acquires images of the Earth's surface and
clouds in sharper resolution across a wider range of wavelengths and at more
frequent intervals than the imagers aboard its Meteosat predecessors.
To date three MSG satellites have been constructed. The first, MSG-1, was
launched on 28 August 2002 and in January this year started routine
operations, as Meteosat-8 to mark its formally becoming part of the Meteosat
family. The follow-on satellites in the series are MSG-2, MSG-3 - and now
MSG-4.
MSG-2 is scheduled for launch in June 2005, explained Lars Prahm, EUMETSAT's
Director General "It will be placed in a parking orbit until needed to take
over its sister satellite's duties, waiting in the wings to ensure seamless
continuity of service. Collectively the three MSGs are projected to provide
up to 15 years of meteorological coverage, and with today's addition of
MSG-4 this figure will be significantly extended."
The close cooperation between ESA and EUMETSAT is due to bear fruit in
another area at the end of 2005, when the first of three Metop satellites is
to be launched into low-Earth polar orbit.
Replacing a service previously supplied by the US National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Metop series is a joint undertaking
between ESA and Eumetsat, and forms the space segment of EUMETSAT's Polar
System (EPS).
Metop will carry a number of European and American instruments to measure
temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction and also atmospheric ozone.
The mission is Europe's first-ever polar orbiting satellite dedicated to
operational meteorology.
For further information please contact:
Franco Bonacina
ESA Media Relations Division
Tel. : + 33(0)1.53.69.7155
Fax. :+ 33(0)1.53.69.7690
Livia Briese
EUMETSAT Media Relations
Tel: +49(0)6151.807.839
Fax: +49(0)6151.807.866
Sandrine Bielecki
ALCATEL SPACE Media Relations
Tel: +33(0)4.92.92.7094
Fax: +33(0)4.92.92.3310
--
---------------------------
Jacques :-)
www.spacepatches.info