The Jason Continuity of Service (Jason-CS) optional programme of EUMETSAT entered into force on 9 September 2015.

On 4 August 2015 the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) instrument on MSG-4 captured its first image of Earth.

On 26 July at 11:30 CEST, EUMETSAT took control of Europe’s last Meteosat Second Generation weather satellite, MSG-4.

EUMETSAT is ready to take control of the MSG-4 spacecraft on 26 July and start the commissioning of the full MSG-4 system. This will ensure that all systems, in orbit and on ground, meet the requirements of the operational service MSG-4 will eventually have to deliver.

Immediately after the successful launch of MSG-4, EUMETSAT and Arianespace announced the signature of a contract entrusting Arianespace with the first launch services for the Meteosat Third Generation (MTG) series of geostationary satellites. It consists of two firm launches for MTG-I1 and MTG-S1, and one option for MTG-I2.

At 23:42:07 CEST (18:42:07 Kourou time) on 15 July 2015, MSG-4, the last in the MSG series of geostationary satellites, was successfully launched from Kourou, Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, on an Ariane-5 launcher.

Arianespace has announced that the launch date of the MSG-4 satellite from the European Spaceport in Kourou, originally foreseen for 8 July, has been reset to 15 July 2015.

Arianespace has announced that the dual launch of the Star One C4 and MSG-4 satellites from the European Spaceport in Kourou, originally foreseen for 8 July, has been postponed for a few days, due to additional checks as part of the launch preparations.

The 83rd meeting of the EUMETSAT Council took place in Darmstadt, Germany, on 23 and 24 June.