In a surprising move, European weather satellite operator Eumetsat has announced a change in its upcoming launch plans for the Meteosat Third Generation-Sounder 1 (MTG-S1) geostationary weather satellite. The spacecraft, initially scheduled to launch on an Ariane 6 rocket, will now be launched on a Falcon 9 rocket by SpaceX in 2025. This decision has caught European space officials off guard and left them frustrated.

Eumetsat, in a statement released on June 28, attributed the shift to "exceptional circumstances," without providing further details. Phil Evans, director-general of Eumetsat, reassured that the decision does not compromise their commitment to supporting European partners and expressed confidence in a successful SpaceX launch for the MTG-S1 satellite.

The MTG-S1 satellite is part of the Meteosat Third Generation program and is aimed at revolutionizing weather forecasting and climate monitoring. It is the second spacecraft in the line, following the launch of MTG-I1 on an Ariane 5 rocket in December 2022. MTG-S1 will be equipped with a sounder instrument capable of providing vertical temperature and water vapor profiles to enhance weather predictions.

Eumetsat emphasized that the launch change was made to ensure the timely launch of the satellite, which will enable national weather services to access new and more accurate data crucial for protecting lives, properties, and infrastructures. Consequently, EUMETSAT member states decided to award the launch service contract for the MTG-S1 satellite to SpaceX.

The unexpected shift has caused disappointment and concern among European space organizations. Philippe Baptiste, head of the French space agency CNES, expressed his disappointment in a social media post, referring to the decision as a "quite a brutal change" given the timing. He called for stronger European coordination on space and suggested implementing regulations for "buy European" to prioritize European rockets for government missions.

Josef Aschbacher, director general of the European Space Agency (ESA), also expressed surprise over Eumetsat's decision and highlighted that it would not affect the planned ramp-up of Ariane 6 launches if the scheduled inaugural flight in July is successful. Arianespace, the commercial launch provider, has a significant order book of 30 Ariane 6 launches, including commercial and government customers like Amazon's Project Kuiper.

While Eumetsat's decision has raised concerns about European space efforts, it is not the first European institution to choose Falcon 9 for launches. ESA has previously launched the Euclid space telescope and EarthCARE mission on Falcon 9 rockets. Additionally, the European Commission has selected Falcon 9 to launch Galileo navigation satellites.

The European space community will closely observe the outcome of the upcoming inaugural launch of the Ariane 6 rocket on July 9, which will determine future prospects for the European launch industry. Meanwhile, Eumetsat remains determined to fulfill its mission of advancing weather forecasting and climate monitoring, with the MTG-S1 satellite set to make a significant impact once it is launched by SpaceX in 2025.