MSG...

MSG-1 Europe's digital geostationary satellite MSG-1 was launched from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou French Guiana on August 28th 2002 aboard an Ariane 5 launcher into an elliptical geostationary transfer orbit. [Atlantic Bird 1 was also launched by this 'flight']. Under the control of ESOC - European Space Operations Centre MSG-1 was placed into a geostationary orbit and drifted slowly eastwards to 10 deg. W it's temporary slot. It was handed over to the control of EUMETSAT on September 25th for the start of commissioning.   Not only is there a new satellite to be commissioned but the new MSG Ground Segment tested with live signals. The SEVIRI radiometer will be switched on around October 23rd when the first visible image will be received and published in the press and on the EUMETSAT website the next day.

Image Copyright 2002 ESA - CNES

MSG Image Dissemination.

The advanced SEVIRI radiometer aboard the MSG series will enable the Earth to be scanned in 12 spectral channels from visible to infrared including water vapour, ozone and carbon dioxide. Meteosat scanned in three – visible, infrared and water vapour. Also the scan repeat cycle will be 15 minutes – Meteosat was 30 minutes. And spatial resolution has been slightly increased.
LRIT – the new geostationary world standard replacement for WEFAX, will disseminate a sub set of the HRIT SEVIRI imaging data every half an hour in 5 spectral channels in a ‘slightly lossy’ compressed form.
This is due to the restricted data rate of the downlink and the fact that the LRIT downlink will also be used for several other services – foreign satellite data: GOES-E, GOES-W, GOMS/(MET-5 IODC), GMS/MT-SAT and various meteorological products and services and bulletins.

Full MSG HRIT and LRIT information can be found in EUMETSAT Technical Publications:-
EUM TD 07 MSG System Overview [PDF 3.3MB].
EUM TD 08 MSG Image Dissemination Service [PDF 2.4MB].
Both these documents are available free of charge from the EUMETSAT website at www.eumetsat.de via the Publications and Technical and Scientific Documents links.

Both the HRIT and LRIT services will be encrypted [apart from the 6 hourly slots ‘in the clear’] requiring the one off payment for an SKU [ Station Key Unit] of 400 Euro for reception. However, RIG has been able to secure an agreement [for UK amateurs] to free access for both HRIT and LRIT data services. Those proposing to receive MSG data in other countries will need to contact their national Met. Office in order to ascertain the Data Access Policy in that country.
There will now be 4 satellites in the MSG series which will take us up to at least 2016 [planned]. So one must look at the one off payment for the SKU in this context.

Judging by the longevity of Meteosat satellites – Meteosat-5 at 63 deg. E conducting the IODC [Indian Ocean Data Coverage] service, was launched 2nd March 1991 [for the 0 deg. service] and is still imaging – albeit in a reduced state and with a considerable inclination but providing valuable meteorological data 24 hours a day. One might wonder how long the ‘new generation’ of satellites might keep imaging in the future.

Up to date MSG-1 commissioning status can be obtained from the RIG Secretary, John Tellick at johnrigsec@aol.com

Current and future satellite movements.

Meteosat-6 positioned at 10 deg. W is the Meteosat-7 standby craft and since September 2001 has performed the Rapid Scanning Service [RSS]. This service scans the northern part of the Earth at 10 minute intervals (instead of the usual 30 minute interval) thus giving better warning of rapidly changing European weather systems. The RSS is disseminated via the EUMETSAT website.
Due to MSG-1 commissioning at 10 deg. W Meteosat-6 has to be moved to 10 deg. E to continue the RSS.
As of 27-09-02 Meteosat-6 had began drifting eastwards at around 1 deg per day and will pass Meteosat-7 in about a week.
Meteosat-6 will cease the Rapid Scanning Service for the 6 day period it is within 3 deg. W and E of Meteosat-7 and will continue the service from its new position at 10 deg. E.

When MSG-1 commissioning is complete the newly named Meteosat-8 will be drifted from 10 deg. W to 0 deg. longitude to begin the new HRIT and LRIT operational service.
At the same time Meteosat-7 will be moved from 0 deg. to 10 deg. W to continue WEFAX and HRI till the end of 2005.
Around the satellite cross-over period Meteosat-6 at 10 deg. E will disseminate the WEFAX and HRI service.

John Tellick : 03-10-02

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