The MSG-4 GO/NOGO roll call in the Main Control Room at ESOC, ESA's European Space Operations Centre, Darmstadt, Germany. The roll call was conducted by Flight Director Nigel Head approximately 2 hours before lift off at 21:42 UTC (23:42 CEST), 15 July 2015.
MSG satellites, dubbed Meteosat once operating, provide full-disc images over Europe and Africa every 15 minutes and ‘rapid scan’ imagery over Europe every five minutes. They are operated in the routine phase by Eumetsat – the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites – and ESA is responsible for their design, development and in-orbit delivery.
Ariane flight VA224 is set for liftoff in a 37-minute window starting at 21:42 GMT (23:42 CEST) on Wednesday, 15 July. MSG-4 will separate from Ariane’s upper stage about 40 minutes after launch, a few minutes after its co-passenger, Embratel’s Star One C4 satellite.
The MSG satellites are 3.2 m in diameter and 2.4 m high and spin anti-clockwise at 100 RPM at an altitude of 36,000 km. They are operated as a two-satellite system continually returning detailed imagery of Europe, Africa and parts of the Atlantic and Indian Ocean every 15 minutes, for operational use by meteorologists.
More information: www.esa.int/msg
Audio credit: ESA - CC BY-SA IGO 3.0
Image credit: ESA - CC BY-SA IGO 3.0
