VA270 (MTG-I2)

The payload

Meteosat Third Generation Imager 2 (MTG-I2) weather satellite for EUMETSAT, developed with ESA, launched successfully on 27 August 2026 at 20:11 UTC (5:11 p.m. local time at Kourou) on Ariane 6's first mission to geostationary transfer orbit. Arianespace's release records MTG-I2 separating from the launcher 36 minutes after liftoff, on its way to geostationary orbit at 36,000 km, and counts the flight as Ariane 6's fourth of the year.

Status history

1. 14 Aug 2026Window of 27 August re-confirmed against Arianespace's newsroom; no public launch time yet.
2. 19 Aug 2026Window of 27 August re-confirmed against Arianespace's newsroom (announcement of 20 July, follow-up of 3 August); Arianespace publishes no launch time.
3. 21 Aug 2026Holding at 27 August on Arianespace's own VA270 mission page, which still gives a launch window and no liftoff time; the mission launch kit was posted on 20 August.
4. 22 Aug 2026Holding at 27 August on Arianespace's own VA270 mission page; still no public liftoff time.
5. 27 Aug 2026Launched at 20:11 UTC (5:11 p.m. local time at Kourou); Arianespace confirmed MTG-I2's separation 36 minutes after liftoff, on Ariane 6's first mission to geostationary transfer orbit.

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