1. 1 ESA’s MSG program: status Eva Oriol-Pibernat ESA/ESRIN Frascati ITALY Boulder 29-31 March 2004

2. 2 Program status MSG-1 Routine operations by Eumetsat started end January 2004. Satellite has been re-named Meteosat-8. Everything is nominal. The product validation review (EUMETSAT internal review) was successful. The alternative dissemination (Ku-band Europe and C- band for Africa) is operational. MSG-2 The satellite is still in storage. The destorage operations will start by begin April in order to prepare the satellite for a February 2005 launch. Launch slot has been assigned now for the period Feb. - April 2005.

3. 3 Program status MSG-3 The nominal AIT activities have been completed. All the tests were nominal. Presently there is still some open work ongoing. The satellite will be put into intermediate storage by begin April. After the MSG-2 launch, the satellite will be prepared for long term storage. Launch for MSG-3 is presently foreseen in 2008/2009. MSG-4 The Subsystem procurement is ongoing nominally. The satellite integration will start in April 2005.

4. 4 PIs information  The 2 nd MSG RAO Workshop will take place in Salzburg (Austria) on 9-10 September 2004, coinciding with the Envisat Symposium (6-10 September 2004).It follows the Workshop in Bologna (Italy) in 2000.  Objectives are to provide the final results of the commissioning and current status of the MSG data dissemination. It will also offer the opportunity to get the scientists feedback on data access and processing experience.

5. 5 PIs information  The Workshop will be dedicated to MSG Principal Investigators and co-Investigators, who will present first results of on-going activities.  GIST members are therefore kindly invited to participate.  Registration and details can be found in the following ESA WEB page: www.estec.esa.nl/conferences/.

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