Meteosat 8
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Meteosat 8 was a
weather satellite A weather satellite or meteorological satellite is a type of Earth observation satellite that is primarily used to monitor the weather and climate of the Earth. Satellites are mainly of two types: polar orbiting (covering the entire Earth asyn ...
, also known as MSG 1. The
Meteosat The Meteosat series of satellites are geostationary meteorological satellites operated by EUMETSAT under the Meteosat Transition Programme (MTP) and the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) program. The MTP program was established to ensure the oper ...
series are operated by
EUMETSAT The European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) is an intergovernmental organisation created through an international convention agreed by a current total of 30 European Member States. EUMETSAT's primary ...
under the Meteosat Transition Programme (MTP) and the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) program. Notable for imaging the first meteor to be predicted to strike the Earth,
2008 TC3 ( Catalina Sky Survey temporary designation 8TA9D69) was an , diameter asteroid that entered Earth's atmosphere on October 7, 2008. It exploded at an estimated above the Nubian Desert in Sudan. Some 600 meteorites, weighing a total of , ...
. Launched 28 Aug 2002 by an
Ariane V155 Ariane 5 is a retired European heavy-lift space launch vehicle operated by Arianespace for the European Space Agency (ESA). It was launched from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in French Guiana. It was used to deliver payloads into geostationary ...
, this European Meteorology satellite is in a
Geostationary orbit A geostationary orbit, also referred to as a geosynchronous equatorial orbit''Geostationary orbit'' and ''Geosynchronous (equatorial) orbit'' are used somewhat interchangeably in sources. (GEO), is a circular orbit, circular geosynchronous or ...
. While Meteosat 8 meteorological instruments are working, solid state power amplifier SSPA-C failed in October 2002. On 22 May 2007, the satellite experienced an unexpected orbit change. This was initially assessed as due to a hit by an unknown object, but that was later assessed not to be credible. The thermal protection was damaged at the same time as the orbit change. Subsequent investigation assessed the Meteosat-8 spinning spacecraft's orbit change due to the mass release of thermal covering whose attachment failed. Meteosat-8 is still operating, and as of April 2013 is providing a backup capability to the Meteosat-10 primary 0-degree Full Earth Scan Service and also a backup to the Meteosat-9 Rapid Scan Service over Europe. In May 2012 Meteosat-8 switched to operating in an Earth Sensor Mode due to a problem with the
Sun sensor A Sun sensor is a navigational instrument used by spacecraft to detect the position of the Sun. Sun sensors are used for Spacecraft attitude control, attitude control, solar array pointing, gyroscope, gyro updating, and safe mode (spacecraft), fai ...
data on board. After modifying the ground image processing system the Rapid Scan Service image quality was restored back to nominal. On 29 June 2016, EUMETSAT approved the proposal of relocating Meteosat-8 to 41.5°E, for the continuation of the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
Data Coverage (IODC), replacing Meteosat-7. Meteosat-8 arrived at 41.5°E on 21 September. The distribution of IODC Meteosat-8 data, in parallel to Meteosat-7 data, started on 20 October. On 1 February 2017, Meteosat-8 replaced Meteosat-7 as the official EUMETSAT geostationary satellite for the Indian Ocean. Meteosat-8 had used up most of its available fuel by 2020, leaving the remaining fuel to be used for safe removal to an altitude 740km above the geostationary ring and slowing the satellite's spin rate. Although not designed to comply with the more recent ISO-24113 guidelines for space debris mitigation, EUMETSAT chose to do so in the case of Meteosat-8 as it had done so the year before for the polar-orbiting
Metop MetOp (Meteorological Operational satellite) is a series of three polar-orbiting meteorological satellites developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and operated by the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites ...
-A. Meteosat-8 was finally decommissioned in October 2022 after twenty years in orbit.


References

{{reflist Weather satellites