Europe’s New MTG‑S Weather Satellite Delivers Impressive First Data

Brussels, January 27, 2026 - The first data and images from Europe’s newest weather satellite were unveiled today at the European Space Conference. The satellite, known as Meteosat Third Generation Sounder (MTG‑S1), was developed and built by OHB System AG on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA). Equipped with a highly advanced infrared sounding instrument, MTG‑S1 delivers three-dimensional profiles of atmospheric temperature and humidity from its geostationary orbit 36,000 km above Earth.

“These first data clearly demonstrate the outstanding technological capability of the MTG Sounder instrument. The images deeply impressed me, and I am incredibly proud of the entire MTG team,” said Chiara Pedersoli, CEO of OHB System AG.

The newly released Earth images show just how precisely the MTG Sounder can capture temperature and moisture patterns. Its long‑wave infrared channels highlight temperature contrasts with remarkable clarity, while the humidity channels offer detailed insights into the distribution of atmospheric moisture for the first time. These measurements will help meteorologists detect unstable weather conditions even before clouds begin to form—a significant advancement for short‑term forecasting, especially in cases of severe weather.

The data published today by EUMETSAT and ESA mark the successful transition of MTG‑S1 into its operational testing phase. With MTG‑S1, Europe is entering a new era of weather and climate monitoring, in which atmospheric processes can be observed continuously, in high resolution and in 3D.

All images and animations released today are available on the EUMETSAT and ESA websites.

About MTG

The MTG mission currently includes two satellites in orbit: one MTG Imager and the MTG Sounder launched in July 2025. A second Imager is scheduled for launch later in 2026.

OHB System AG serves as prime for the MTG Sounder satellite and is also responsible for all six platforms of the third‑generation Meteosat fleet. Mission control and data distribution are managed by EUMETSAT. The industrial consortium of the MTG programme is led by Thales Alenia Space.