NEW DELHI: The decommissioned Indo-French meteorological satellite Megha-Tropiques-1 (MT-1) disintegrated safely in the Earth’s atmosphere on March 7 after a successful controlled re-entry operation.
The meteorological satellite was launched on October 12, 2011 as a joint effort between astronauts. Isro and the French space agency CNES for tropical weather and climate research. “The satellite has continued to provide valuable data services for more than a decade, supporting regional and global climate models till 2021,” Isro said in a statement.
Isro brought down the satellite at the end of its mission as part of its commitment to the United Nations Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee.
Starting in August 2022, the satellite’s perigee was gradually lowered through a series of 20 maneuvers, consuming approximately 120 kg of fuel. Many maneuvers, including the final destruction strategy, were developed taking into account several constraints, including the visibility of the reentry trail over ground stations, ground effects in the target area, and the allowable operating conditions of the subsystems, especially the maximum delivered thrust. and a maximum firing duration limit on the thrusters, Isro said.
Recent telemetry confirmed that the satellite re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean, with the final impact area being deep in the Pacific Ocean at the estimated latitude and longitude boundaries.
The entire sequence of events was carried out from the Mission Operations Complex in Isro’s Telemetry Control and Command Network.
The meteorological satellite was launched on October 12, 2011 as a joint effort between astronauts. Isro and the French space agency CNES for tropical weather and climate research. “The satellite has continued to provide valuable data services for more than a decade, supporting regional and global climate models till 2021,” Isro said in a statement.
Isro brought down the satellite at the end of its mission as part of its commitment to the United Nations Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee.
Starting in August 2022, the satellite’s perigee was gradually lowered through a series of 20 maneuvers, consuming approximately 120 kg of fuel. Many maneuvers, including the final destruction strategy, were developed taking into account several constraints, including the visibility of the reentry trail over ground stations, ground effects in the target area, and the allowable operating conditions of the subsystems, especially the maximum delivered thrust. and a maximum firing duration limit on the thrusters, Isro said.
Recent telemetry confirmed that the satellite re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean, with the final impact area being deep in the Pacific Ocean at the estimated latitude and longitude boundaries.
The entire sequence of events was carried out from the Mission Operations Complex in Isro’s Telemetry Control and Command Network.
