Delayed the start of MSG-3 to July 5, 2012

Arianespace announce the start of MSG-3 satellite from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, originally programmed for June 19 has been delayed until July 5 at night. This delay was caused by additional checks perform on the EchoStar 17 telecommunications satellite to be launched along with MSG-3 aboard an Ariane5 ECA.MSG-3 has successfully passed all pre-launch tests and is ready to begin the process of loading fuel in their tanks.

The launch of MSG-3 will ensure continuity of observations from geostationary orbit at 36 000 km above the surface of our planet. This service, currently provided by Meteosat-9 and by veteran Meteosat-8, launched in August 2002, it is essential to protect people, property and infrastructure, especially in bad weather. The new satellite MSG-3 gradually relieves Meteosat-8, which has already exceeded the time initially planned for their mission.

The family of MSG is the result of successful cooperation model of the European Space Agency EUMETSAT. The first satellite developed in accordance with the requirements set by the second, and contract manufacturing to the European space industry on their behalf. All MSG satellites have been developed by a European consortium led by Thales Alenia Space.

EUMETSAT

The European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites is an intergovernmental organization based in Darmstadt, Germany, consisting of 26 Member States (Germany, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Slovenia, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland , Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey) and five Partner States (Bulgaria, Estonia, Iceland, Lithuania and the Republic of Serbia).

EUMETSAT is responsible for the operations of the geostationary Meteosat-8 and -9, with coverage of Europe and Africa, and Meteosat-7, on the Indian Ocean.

METOP-A, the first European weather satellite in polar orbit, was launched in October 2006 and has officially been in service since May 15, 2007.

The ocean altimetry satellite Jason-2, launched on June 20, 2008, provides data on the topography of the ocean surface to the catalog of services provided by EUMETSAT. The data and products generated by EUMETSAT's satellites make a significant contribution to weather forecasting and climate monitoring.

The European Space Agency

Europe has for decades actively involved in space exploration. Since 1975, the European Space Agency (ESA) coordinates the resources of its Member States to develop Europe's space capability and to carry out programs and outreach activities that could carry any European country individually. ESA developed launchers, satellites and ground infrastructure needed to keep Europe at the forefront of space activities. The European Space Agency launches satellites for Earth observation, navigation, for telecommunications and astronomy, send probes to the outer reaches of the Solar System, and cooperating in manned missions to space exploration.

ESA has 19 Member States: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Romania, Sweden and Switzerland. Canada is part of the ESA Council and participates in some of its programs through a cooperative agreement. Slovenia, Estonia, Hungary and Poland participate in the activities of the Agency through the European States Partner Program. Other countries are in the process of joining the initiative.