A series of Japanese geostationary satellites designed to provide meteorological observations and air traffic control functions. The meteorological component of these three-axis stabilized satellites is a 5-channel visible and infrared imager similar to that carried by GOES-10. Like the GMS satellites that preceded this series, MTSAT is positioned at 140�E longitude. The first satellite in this series (MTSAT-1R) was launched in February 2005 and became operational in June 2005.